Getting A Woody for My Woodies!

I knew I would raise more than a few eyebrows with the title of this post! For those of a true gardening bent, woodies  most often refers to trees and shrubs! As for the first woody….. lets leave that up to the collective imagination shall we?

I was worried that Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’ was losing its silvery edge but upon closer examination of its newest growth, I see where I have nothing to worry about.

Horstmann’s other namesake, Larix decidua ‘Horstmann’s Recurva’ has finally been given the support that it needs in order to accentuate its truly recurving, twisted growth habit. Down the road I would love to espalier it to the side of the garage, but that would mean I would have to reside here until I died……. perhaps not!

Not sure if this photo conveys the overwhelming number of unopened flower buds that are literally smothering my Deutzia x. ‘Magicien.’ Here is what the opened flowers look like:

  Is it any wonder that it is my favourite within the genus? When it comes to shrubs, nothing comes close to the beauty of Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Rotfuchs’ – especially its rich deep purple infused new growth. The fact that it smells like cotton candy just before the foliage falls takes it to the level of truly sublime!

A bit of late day sun adds drama to the spent flower heads of Viburnum plicatum f.tomentosum var. ‘Mariesii’ – my personal favourite within the genus!

Cotinus coggygria ‘Grace’ in the foreground with Cornus alternifolia ‘Golden Shadows’ in front, and Corylopsis spicata  along the right hand frame of the photo provide me with all season interest and comments galore, especially when the Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’ not included in the photo is in its full glory!

Alas…. I think my hormones are in check! Thanks for humoring me!