Buttercups

Low temp. 33.3 F

High temp. 61 F

In addition to the witchhazels there are several interesting and underused species of winterhazel which include, Corylopsis pauciflora, the buttercup winterhazel ,and Corylopsis spicata, the spike winterhazel.  Both are small shrubs with a spreading habits.  The flowers open in April and care should be taken to site them in a sheltered location for protection from spring frosts.  They prefer a moist, acid, soil in full sun or light shade and they are ideal shrubs for a woodland border.  The C. pauciflora has smaller flowers than the C. spicata, as you can see from these photos.  The flowers are a bit different and not the glaring yellow of many spring shrubs.  C. pauciflora is hardy from zone 6 through 8.

The C. spicata or spike winterhazel tends to spread wider than its height of 4' to 6'.  It is hardy from zone 5 through 8 and is also the lovely primrose yellow of the pauciflora species.

I have one of the buttercup winterhazels planted in a woodland border.  It is not in bloom yet.  These photos are from nursery grown container plants which have had a bit of shelter in a hoop house forcing them into earlier bloom

I think that they are both worth considering for a naturalized border.  What do you think?

Drips, streaks and more!

Minimum temp 38.2 

High 56 F

Today the sun came out for the first time in many days.  The garden centers were quite busy and many had their displays ready for the weekend.  Some are still hustling a bit to get everything done but it is usually a continuous process.  I saw some  more very interesting containers.  What do you think of this yellow and blue combo?  I think in the right location with interesting plants it would be a winner!  Or, it could be plumbed and used as a  centerpiece in a water feature.

Here are a couple more interesting color combinations.

  Then we are back to some more solid colors. I love this combination of yellow and purple.  An effective display!

Crayola containers

Last week I stopped in at one of the local garden centers.  Since it has been cold and rainy here not much is happening on the customer level but all is being spruced up for spring.  Every year new colors come into vogue and I think we will be in the midst of a 'hot' color year. 

  Or, perhaps you would want to go with classic cast iron?

Gardening in the dark!

It has always been a joke in my family that if we do invest in any landscape lighting it will just extend the time in the garden!  It is just lightening up here and I am faced with a busy day and can only fit garden cleanup into the early morning...cold...hours.  So be it.  The coffee will be ready when I come back in and pictures will be added to this post.  This morning it will be the roadside garden cleanup at 6:40 a.m.! 

Here is a picture of the 'tools of the trade'!  The leaves go in the compost pile, of course!  Another 'after' shot!

 

The roadside garden was planted with the help of my neighbors last spring.  It is planted with drought tolerant, shade tolerant and deer proof perennials.  We shall see how it grows this season, its' second.  Stay tuned!

Too cold for bunnies!

Easter morning dawns cold but sunny.  The birds are busy but there are no bunnies in sight.  Most of the gardens are still tucked under their blanket of oak leaves.  So many chores and so little time!

Here is an early spring picture of Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diana' or  witchhazel.  It is one of the earliest spring bloomers

and, as you can see, a great spot of color.  There are many cultivars to choose from with range of color from  red  through pale yellow.   Consider planting one this spring.  This is a small  tree which grows between 15' and 20' high.  Good fall color can be expected but they are a bit coarse during the summer.  The do look very nice in a shrub border or on the edge of the woods.

The yellow variety is 'Arnold's Promise' Both varieties are readily available at any nursery or garden center.