I know I am repeating what everyone else in the South has been saying this spring, but when did we switch weather patterns with England? It's been so cool and damp. Typically kids are in their bathing suits running through sprinklers by now. In fact my daughter and her friend went outside in their bathing suits and tried to make a water slide with the hose yesterday. I had to send them back inside. It was 60 degrees and cloudy! So here's my attempt at cottage gardening in the English style. Viburnums are a wonderful choice for Southeast Virginia. This particular variety is 'Summer Snowflake'. They love the sun and do very well in heat/drought conditions. The viburnums have been paired with a couple of varieties of clematis and a climbing red rose that runs up the trellis behind the shrubs. The clematis have taken a liking to running up and through the viburnums as well. If you decide to add viburnums, make sure you give them plenty of room to grow. These have been in the ground for about seven years and they have to be pruned every year at least once or twice.
One of the clematis varieties that has been paired with the viburnum. Not sure of the variety. It has been here longer than me. Clematis work really well when paired with other climbing vines like roses or Carolina Jessamine.
My father-in-law gave me this container. It is a tree trunk that was hollowed out and treated so it won't rot. I am pretty happy with the grouping. The chartreuse colored plant is Gold Selaginella (aka a fern!) with 'Catalina Midnight Blue' Torenia in the middle, along with a very tiny Rabbit's Foot Fern. This container is placed in our woods along a pathway as all of these plants take shade.
Okay I admit it...I dislike getting rid of plants even if they are diseased or are just all wrong for the spot. This time I have learned my lesson though. Last year two carpet roses contracted rosette disease. At least I'm pretty sure it's rosette disease. Rosette disease is characterized by a witch's broom appearance on some of the branches while other branches tend to shoot out and get lanky. I love my carpet roses and just couldn't get rid of them. Now I wish I had. The disease has spread to this Knock Out Rose in the picture. As you can see it has the witch's broom appearance and the lanky branches. I have three more Knock Out Roses very close in proximity to this one as well as an old fashion rose. So I guess it's time. I can't wait any longer. I will have to dig up the carpet roses and this Knock Out and get rid of them. And to think that mulching is a tedious job...hmmm...something tells me this will take the cake for tedious, not to mention require a few band-aids.
I know I am repeating what everyone else in the South has been saying this spring, but when did we switch weather patterns with England? It's been so cool and damp. Typically kids are in their bathing suits running through sprinklers by now. In fact my daughter and her friend went outside in their bathing suits and tried to make a water slide with the hose yesterday. I had to send them back inside. It was 60 degrees and cloudy! So here's my attempt at cottage gardening in the English style. Viburnums are a wonderful choice for Southeast Virginia. This particular variety is 'Summer Snowflake'. They love the sun and do very well in heat/drought conditions. The viburnums have been paired with a couple of varieties of clematis and a climbing red rose that runs up the trellis behind the shrubs. The clematis have taken a liking to running up and through the viburnums as well. If you decide to add viburnums, make sure you give them plenty of room to grow. These have been in the ground for about seven years and they have to be pruned every year at least once or twice.
My father-in-law gave me this container. It is a tree trunk that was hollowed out and treated so it won't rot. I am pretty happy with the grouping. The chartreuse colored plant is Gold Selaginella (aka a fern!) with 'Catalina Midnight Blue' Torenia in the middle, along with a very tiny Rabbit's Foot Fern. This container is placed in our woods along a pathway as all of these plants take shade.
Okay I admit it...I dislike getting rid of plants even if they are diseased or are just all wrong for the spot. This time I have learned my lesson though. Last year two carpet roses contracted rosette disease. At least I'm pretty sure it's rosette disease. Rosette disease is characterized by a witch's broom appearance on some of the branches while other branches tend to shoot out and get lanky. I love my carpet roses and just couldn't get rid of them. Now I wish I had. The disease has spread to this Knock Out Rose in the picture. As you can see it has the witch's broom appearance and the lanky branches. I have three more Knock Out Roses very close in proximity to this one as well as an old fashion rose. So I guess it's time. I can't wait any longer. I will have to dig up the carpet roses and this Knock Out and get rid of them. And to think that mulching is a tedious job...hmmm...something tells me this will take the cake for tedious, not to mention require a few band-aids.
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