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Showing posts with the label shrubs

Eiffel Tower Black Tower Elderberry Growth - October 2024

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In the middle of last Summer (July 2023), I planted a pair of dark foliage shrubs - Eiffel Tower Black Tower Elderberries - along the fenceline about mid-way back .  Looking back at them when they went in, the were short and compact.   Now, 15 months later, both of the shrubs are doing fine - putting on some vertical growth and doing their 'tower' thing.  They're not...however...black.  See below: This season, they're up over the top of the fence (you can see in the background), so they've bulked-up height-wise.  I cut these back to about 2' off the ground this Spring and I'll do that again.   According to the description, they're supposed to 'age to black', so perhaps that's still coming?  (I doubt it).  

Soft Touch Holly - One Year Later - September 2024

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One of the not-so-planned set of shrubs that went in last Fall in my Fall Planting spasm was a set of three Soft Touch Hollys that went into the backyard nook area.  They were a late-season sale purchase , but I thought it was wise to diversify away from yews and boxwoods in my evergreen shrub collection.   Have they put on size?  I think so.  See below for the current state of these three Japanese Soft Touch Holly in our backyard - Zone 6a/5b.  They're fronted by some Dark Side of the Moon Astilbes and Ajuga Chocolate Chip that I put here during one of my 'garden edits' this Spring.  

Limelight Hydrangeas Showing Off - Late July 2024

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Our Limelight Hydrangeas have *always* been just a little bit better performers than the rest of our hydrangeas.  I'm talking panicle, oakleaf, mountain.  We have a bunch, but these two shrubs, planted on the side of our front porch have been PROLIFIC for a while.  They went in when we built the house - Summer 2017, so this is their EIGHT growing season.   Last Summer, they went ham and threw off a ton of blooms.  I've pruned them each late Winter to try to thin some of them out and avoid the flopping that comes with these giant pannicle heads.  This year - we're getting (I think) the biggest bloom.   Have a look at these shrubs as they're LOADED:

Red Berries on Doublefile Viburnum (Treeform) - July 2024

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We have three Doublefile Viburnum in treeform in our backyard.  Two along the north property line and one in the back by the firepit.  They went in the garden in Spring 2022 .  And, struggled.  These were hard to get established and required some baby'ing with water that first year.  Last year, they seemed to be able to handle themselves more and by this Spring, they were what I'd call 'established'.  That took two full growing seasons with the beginning of the third growing season producing the best/biggest/most-full blooms yet.  Here they are in Mid-May of this year with white flowers all over them . Two months later, we have another first:  these red berries on the tips of the shrub.  See below for a couple photos of the bright red berries.  The birds have not found these (yet).  There are A LOT of misses in our garden, but these Doublefile Viburnum are a big 'hit'.  They do A LOT for a shrub that grows in the shade.  When I talk about wanting a 'four-sea

A Look At Some Backyard Conifers - Junipers, Hemlocks and Mugo Pine

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Conifers should come first.  That's advice that I've (now) adopted.  But, I'm seven-years down the gardening path and it is too late.  But...looking around, I *did* get it right - somewhat.  I planted some tiny Canadian Hemlocks, some creeping Junipers and a tiny Mugo Pine in the 'understory bed' over the years.   Below are a few photos that show how they're doing.  First, is a Youngstown Juniper amongst some hostas and a look at the bottom of one of the Hemlocks.  The juniper was planted in Fall 2019. These Hemlocks started out as 12" tall trees.  Now they're six-feet tall and growing.  Pretty great to see: Below is another creeping Juniper - that's smaller than the first.   And here, below, is the Mugo Pine.  Planted as a tiny one-gallon evergreen shrub in the Fall of 2021 .  It was ravaged by the dang rabbits, but has since rebounded - thanks to some wintertime chicken wire.  This is its third growing season in the garden and is now about 12&quo

Tree Form Doublefile Viburnum In Bloom - White Blooms - May 2024

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We have three Doublefile Viburnums that are grafted tree-form in shape in our backyard.  Two along the north fence line, one on the far west (far back) by the firepit.  I planted these in Spring of 2022 , making this their third growing season.  These have emerged earlier than last year (2023 - their first Spring) and I suspect the warmer, earlier Spring accounts for that earlier wake-up.  Last year, at the beginning of May, these were *just* leafing out .  This year, they're ALREADY blooming in that first full week of May.  This post is on May 12th, but I took these photos a few days ago when the shrubs were in full-boom.   They bud'ed out in March this year .  And now flowered in May.  They've put on some size - both height and width and are growing into their screening-purpose.    Last year, I posted photos of these blooms in mid-May .  So, these are about two-weeks ahead of 2023.   Below are some photos - first showing the top of the tree-form shrub.  Then, a look at th

Green Velvet Boxwoods - Under Espalier Linden Trees - One Year Later - May 2024

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Last Summer, I added eleven Green Velvet Boxwoods (1# size) at the feet of the horizontal cordon espalier Green spire Linden trees in our backyard - up against the fence.  I bought them small, due to the cost of adding so many of them in one spot and they didn't take up much space.  You can see what they looked like last June in this post .  Spring is when my boxwoods put on growth, so I thought it was interesting to see how much they had grown in a little less than a year.  These were put in at the end of June - with a biosolids and topsoil mix - and I'm thinking put down roots all of 2023.  This Spring - 2024 - the tips of the shrubs have leapt up and out, adding light green tips to the (still) small evergreen shrubs.   Below is what they look like currently - in the middle of the Spring flush of new growth: There are seven in the back row and four in the front.  They may NOT look like much (on their own, in this photo), but here (below) is an animated gif showing the before

Lilac Blooms - Just a Few - April 2024

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In our old house in Elmhurst, our neighbor to the South had a massive hedge of mature Lilac shrubs.  They provided plenty of screening, but they also threw off a profusion of blooms each Spring.  When we moved, having Lilacs were on Nat's wish list.  Over the years, I've ended up planting four (two 'common' and two 'Nocture' ) and transplanting them, too.   The Common ones went in the ground in 2018 .  The Nocturne variety went in the ground in Summer of 2019 - a year later .    They never bloomed.  Too much shade, I suspected.  In the Spring of 2022, I opted to replace them with something that can tolerate the shade a bit more - and is evergreen .   That meant that I dug-up and moved all four Lilac across the yard to an area that gets more sun.   Their first year (in their new location), the Common Lilacs threw off blooms .  Surprisingly.  That was 2022.  Last year, I don't seem to have posted about them.   But this Spring?  We have blooms.  More than in 20

Lemony Lace Elderberry Leaf's Out - April 2024

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Just a month ago, the Lemony Lace Elderberry Shrub in our backyard was showing-off some neat-looking purple buds that were about to burst open with a mix of foliage and berries on the stems of this shade-tolerant shrub.  Fast forward to today - 30-or-so-days-later and the foliage of light green (lemon-lime color) and light purple is showing on the shrub that is tucked in against our fence.  See below: This Japanese-Maple-look-alike is something that I've grown to really appreciate and I'm planning on tucking in some groundcover in/around the base this year.  

Doublefile Viburnum Tree-Form - Spring Buds - March 2024

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Yesterday, I shared a look at the long, thin and pink-tipped Spring buds on the lone Pagoda Dogwood tree in our backyard.   A little further back in the yard - behind the Yew Hedge - is one of the Doublefile Viburnum tree-form shrubs that we have in our backyard.   In April 2022, I planted this one (and a few others), so it has had two full growing seasons (2022 and 2023) and is now back for its third growing season.   It has burst its buds and is a little bit ahead of most things in the garden.  Below, is a look at the green tips that have arrived on this treeform Doublefile Viburnum in Zone 6a:

Winter Burn on Green Gem Boxwoods - March 2024

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I planted a trio of Green Gem Boxwoods in the backyard in Fall of 2021 .  That feels like an eternity ago, doesn't it?  They've had two full growing seasons (2022, 2023) and are headed into their third (2024).  They went in as tiny, one-gallon pots that were 50% off (my favorite price).   Looking back at their initial size, they've put on some good growth over the years, but they're certainly NOT mature just yet.  This post talks about them being more dwarf in size - topping out at two-to-three-foot balls .   Here's what they looked like last Fall - October 2023 - when I remarked that they had filled out.   I was out in the yard this week and noticed that one of these Green Gem evergreen shrubs took on some Winter damage.  Dry, brown tips that appear to have died-back with the cold temperatures.  See below for a look at the winter burn/winter damage: Over the Winter,  I decided to pull a couple of boulders closer to the front of the border  and sat a large square o

Lemony Lace Elderberry Purple Spring Buds - March 2024

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I planted a lone Lemony Lace Elderberry (from Proven Winners) late in the season of Fall 2022.  It was bought at the end-of-season sale at the Growing Place and came back for the first time last Spring.  Here's a post showing the purple buds on the shrub in April 2023 .    Last year, I planted another pair of elderberry shrubs - this time they were dark-foliage Eiffel Tower varieties .   The Lemony Lace Elderberry has BRIGHT green foliage that resembles a finely dissected Japanese Maple.  It is also supposed to flower.  This one with big, white blooms that arrive before the foliage.  But, I didn't seen any blooms in the first growing season.  Maybe we will this year?   That's what happened with the treeform Doublefile Viburnum shrubs.  Planted in Spring of 222 and didn't flower that first year.  But, when they came back for their second growing season (2023), they put out a lovely set of large, white blooms .   Here, below, is a look at the purple buds on the Lemony La

Bud Burst (Sort Of) on Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea - March 202

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I planted a pair of Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spireas in my burst of [Fall Planting] last October.  One in the front yard and the other by the Fanal Astilbes along the southside of the backyard border.    I was out puttering around in the back and noticed a flash of green on the tips of the shrub.  A closer look showed me that the buds on this shrub were/are opening up.   This is the first Spring for this thing, so I'm glad to see it coming back and (seemingly) survive the winter cold.  Below is a close-up photo of the buds and then a wider photo showing the overall structure:

Rabbit Pressure On Oakleaf Hydrangeas - January 2024

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I really do NOT like the dang rabbits that live in and around our yard and garden.  I've done my best to protect against their damage, but I didn't do enough this Winter.  With the snow melting, I took one VERY small walk through part of the garden to see how things have fared in the past month-or-so.  I don't want to walk on the wet ground and didn't walk in any of the beds to avoid compaction.   But...from the edge of the beds, I was able to see some serious rabbit damage on a number of my Oakleaf Hydrangeas.  Even on one that I wrapped in Chicken wire.  What the heck!?! Here's a few photos showing the rabbit pressure - and gnawing of the tips - on my SnowQueen and Alice Oakleaf Hydrangeas.    The problem is that these flowering shrubs bloom on old wood.  That means...2024 will be a year of limited flowers.  Bummer.   Weather-permitting, I'll go out and grab more photos.  Coming up with a real plan on rabbits feels like a 2024 project.  This aggression will no

2nd Bird's Nest Spruce - In Conifer Garden - November 2023.

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Today marks me getting pretty close to the final conifer that I planted in my Fall Planting Spring of October 2023.  It features a second (new) Bird's Nest Spruce (3rd overall with one in the back) and is planted in the new part of the Conifer Garden down by the sidewalk.  Same story as the previous one - a dwarf, low-to-the-ground conifer that tolerates sun and - when established - is drought tolerant.  This one is a 1# small shrub, like the others have been.   I planted this in mid-October, but posting it in early November 2023. 

Transplanted Bird's Nest Spruce - Backyard - November 2023

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Originally planted in a container (pre-bonsai), then first transplanted into the ground in April of 2022 only to be moved up to the Kitchen window curved bed in May of 2022 , my first Bird's Nest Spruce (dwarf) has not lived a good life.  Then...it was gnawed at by the dang rabbits and fought for life the past two growing seasons. Today?  It has been overtaken by the Oakleaf Hydrangeas that are planted behind this small spruce shrub.  See below for a look at the leaves of the hydrangeas and the spruce, evergreen shrub: That means that this dwarf conifer is looking for its fourth spot in three years.  I dug it up and transplanted it over to the northside of the lot, behind some hostas (that need to be removed) and in front of the Hops vine that is trellis'd up the fence.  See below for the current state of my first Bird's Nest Spruce dwarf conifer: I'm posting this in early November, but I moved this shrub back in early/mid October of 2023. 

Another Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea Shrub Planted - By Astilbes - November 2023

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I posted the details and a photo of planting a Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea shrub in the front porch beds in mid-October .  When I planted that one, I also...planted a second one:  but in back.  I decided to tuck it in the 'kitchen window curved bed', sort-of by where my bird-feeding pole lives.   That bed has some good foliage and good texture contrasts going on - the Amsonia, Oakleaf Hydrangeas and Astilbes create a nice combination.  This small-size (dare I saw dwarf) fern-like shrub adds a pop of color (yellow/chartreuse) and some lightness of foliage to this spot. The shrub is already showing some buds on the limbs - that I presume are set of next year.  But..you never can tell what kind of stress these nursery plants go through that might alter their normal growth cycle.   I planted this in mid-October, but posting it in early November 2023.  

3 Green Velvet Boxwoods Planted - Dogwood Espalier - November 2023

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I added three small Green Velvet Boxwoods to the middle of the pair of recently-espalier'd Dogwood trees along the side of the garage.  The bed has been an afterthought (to date) and features a bunch of random hostas, Ostrich Ferns and a few heucheras.  There were no shrubs.  There wasn't much 'structure' there.  The photo at the top shows the 'after'.  The photo below shows the 'before'. I've moved that big hosta OUT and removed some of the ferns, too.   I planted these in mid-October, but posting it in early November 2023. 

2nd Blue Star Juniper Planted - Disneyland Roses - November 2023

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Yesterday, I posted a photo and details of the first (of two) Blue Star Junipers that I planted next to the back stoop.   Today, is the second of those - this time planted on the north side by the electrical meter, next to one of the Disneyland Roses. You can see it below - this is a spot that gets full sun and little water...so I'm thinking it may be happy here. Posting in November, but planted in mid-October 2023.

Blue Star Juniper Planted - Back Stoop Bed - November 2023

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More dwarf conifers.  That's the story for today (and maybe tomorrow) as I've planted a pair of Blue Star Junipers - Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' to two different parts of our garden.  The first is pictured above and is in the north-side back stoop bed along with a Spring Grove Ginko, that big flush of Angelina Sedum and a Geranium. My thought here is that by adding some blue - I'd get a nice view of the garden color trinity of green (ginkgo), blue (Blue Star Juniper) and chartreuse (Angelina Sedum) working together.  And...that this Blue Star Juniper might fight back against the sedum and they'd play nice together. What is a Blue Star Juniper?  From NC State : 'Blue Star' Singleseed Juniper is a cultivar that is a dwarf conifer, an evergreen, and slow-growing shrub that may reach from 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 4 feet wide. The shrub forms a compact, dense mound. The leaves are blue-gray, awl-shaped needles with a white band that overlap and are densel