Mixing a couple of fragrant viburnums

This question is piggy-backing on a similar one not too long ago, but I'm too lazy to go find it. And this one will have a slightly different spin. I have a space where I was planning on using two of my favorite Viburnums together. Generally, I try to avoid pairs of the same shrub together in the same site, because it just looks stilted, but that's all there is space for in this spot.

Now I'm starting to get a little greedy, wishing to extend the fragrant season by planting just one x juddii with either a V. carlessii "Cayuga" or a V. bodnantense "Dawn."

Here are my questions. Do these three viburnums all look enough alike that planting any two of them together will look awkward, like the bum who finds a black jacket here, a black pair of pants there, and then wears them together thinking they look like a suit?

Will combining "Cayuga" and V. x juddii appreciably extend my season?

Scott

'Cayuga' and Judd may be alike enough to fool most, but 'Dawn' looks nothing like either.

'Cayuga' and Judd have virtually the same bloom times for me here at the Valley, from mid to late April. 'Dawn' has already started to bloom for the winter season here, and will continue sporadically until spent by the end of March or early April.

I think you can plant 'Cayuga', Judd, or any of the V. carlesii clones and have reasonable facsimiles that wouldn't seem odd together. This combination should also guarantee fruit on each of them, which won't be overwhelming but beats none.

Voilà, voyeurs -- visions of voluptuous Viburnum...

Which is which in that photo please?

Ah! You've coaxed the professor out of winter digging doldrums.

There are three plants distinctly blooming in this photograph, taken April 22, 2005.

Left to right, the obviously blooming shrubs are Viburnum x juddii; V. x 'Cayuga'; and V. x 'Eskimo'.

To the left of Judd is V. x bodnantense 'Dawn' with the Picea omorika directly behind it. Directly behind Judd is V. dilatatum 'Erie'. To the right of 'Eskimo' are three plants of V. nudum 'Winterthur'.

And I just noticed: to the right, but down in front of the 'Winterthur', one can make out a little bit of V. carlesii 'Aurora' (most of it is behind the Chamaecyparis growing in the foreground far right).

Here are the same plants shown from a different direction on April 21, 2006 (a year later, for the chronologically challenged).

'Dawn' is on the very near left. Judd is next with essentially no flowers left blooming. 'Cayuga' is next, past peak bloom. 'Eskimo' is next to the right at absolute peak. The foliage taking up the right edge of the picture is part of a big Cornus mas 'Golden Glory'.

Thanks for the pictorial essay Professor. I will sharpen my pencil for the test to follow. I sure hope it's multiple guess. ROFL!

Very nice VV. How old are these? Eskimo looks about six feet or so - is that right?

Victor

"Eskimo" looks much brighter than I expected. How fragrant is it?

Scott

This plant at the Valley was planted here at 3' in 2000; it is now about 7'x7' (213.36 cm x 213.36 cm).

Bright? Imagine that inimitable icy Inuit institution, the igloo.

'Eskimo' will meet and exceed all expectations. Put your nose right up against the screen with the zoom turned up full blast so that you can see every last stamen and pistil...nuzzling nostrils, noticing nuances...

Smells just like that.

Wow - the National Arboretum description puts Eskimo at 4-5 feet high and wide. Must be happy there!

Life is good at the Valley...

As you certainly know by now...quoting one far more experienced than I:

I'm not doing anything special for this plant, and this is not abnormal behavior for almost everywhere I've seen it (or planted it) in this region. 6-8' by 6-8' is probably an average to expect for the Ohio River valley.

'Eskimo' is quite a dense grower, and isn't exactly accelerating to this height. If I collected cuttings more often, or took an occasional branch out from time to time, I could keep 'Eskimo' at two-thirds this height attractively.

As useful as knowing 'Eskimo's size and color...is its potential partnerships. Here it is in a planting with red buckeye I made in 1993.

Here, at the same site, 'Eskimo' shows its concurrent color and timing of bloom with Cornus florida. Both this and the previous picture were taken 30 April 2005.

This is a grouping of 24" 'Eskimo' aspiring to their big brothers' dimensions. They were planted spring 2005. They are having no trouble whatsoever flaunting their wares, despite their tender youth.

They look great, and I'm sure those cow chips you're using as mulch will push those lil' guys into maturity pronto!

Scott

Now, Scott.

Surely you recognize composted Acer and Carpinus carcasses. They are waste products around here, collected annually every fall when scores of Louisville citizens cast them aside in favor of more Viburnum like those pictured.

Oh the humanity!

Scott