Pink Beauty Doublefile Viburnum Planted - Behind Dawn Redwood - May 2025

I've talked about how the (dang) rabbits have destroyed a number of our oakleaf hydrangeas in the backyard.  I *really* like Oakleaf Hydrangeas, but I've mused (post here) if I'm just fighting nature too much and should plant things that can do better.  

One of the shrubs that we have growing in the yard is a number of viburnums.  They, too, are flowering shrubs.  And they, too can handle some shade.  We have two different varieties:  doublefile and Chicago Lustre Arrowwood.  They've both done well.  The doublefile are treeform - which I really like as we can plant *under* them.  The Chicago Lustre have done well - despite the rabbit pressure.  

There are a couple spots in our backyard that still need screening shrubs, so I always stop by the flowering shrub section of the big box stores to see if there's anything interesting.  I found a pair of these "Pink Beauty" Doublefile Viburnum at Menards.  (The trick to shopping at Menards is to buy early in the season as they don't care for their plants too terribly well).  I decided to bring home two of them in five-gallon nursery pots.  These were pretty root-bound, so I'm thinking that they are pretty mature:

Gardenia has a listing for the Pink Beauty Doublefile Viburnum up that describes the flowering shrub as 'unique' and 'eye-catching'.

Oakland Nursery says:

A spectacular shrub when in bloom, covered in beautiful rich pink flowers along the branches in spring, an outstanding selection; attractive horizontal branching on a compact plant with bright red berries in summer and good fall color.

It is noted to be a bit shorter than the straight variety of Doublefile.  

In the backyard, we have/had a small Azalea that I've moved around a few times.  It has never performed pretty well and this year...it appears that it never emerged from dormancy.  In the photo below, you can see (if you squint) the bare frame of the Azalea.  This is back by the Dawn Redwood tree along the fenceline:

I dug the dead azalea out and planned to put one of these Pink Beauty Doublefile Viburnums in its place.  Here is the viburnum before planting:

Below is a photo showing the shrub planted in the ground.  I pulled back the newly-installed mulch and, after-planting, raked it back on top of the rootball.  I planted this 'high' on purpose:

The other one of these is going on the other side of the garden - I'll post about it tomorrow.