Once your plants have rooted they need potted up or planted. In most cases I will pot up the newly rooted cuttings to help them grow stronger and more established root systems before planting in the garden. Potting up cuttings is a very simple process but there are a few small things to keep in … Read more
For many years now viburnums have been one of my favorite shrubs in my garden. For the most part viburnums grow without issue, add beauty to the landscape, and provide sustainable for wildlife. What strikes me as confusing is why they aren’t more popular in the home garden? When in bloom viburnum flowers rival hydrangeas … Read more
Recently on Facebook in a group I am a part of someone posted about a plant they didn’t know after discovering that her daughter ate some of the fruit. I can imagine the fear that must be in her mind. I have 5 children and would panic as well if one of them ingested something … Read more
Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons in the garden. Fall because I love the changing leaves, the cool crisp air, and the feeling of closure that comes with shutting down the garden. Spring is my other favorite because of the rebirth. All the spring flowers and foliage are emerging and everything is brand new … Read more
It’s not a secret that I’m a fan of plant propagation. Who wouldn’t be? You get free plants! One of the easiest ways to propagate a plant is through a technique called layering. With layering you essentially pin down a branch of a shrub or tree to the soil and encourage it to form roots. … Read more
First let me apologize for not writing much lately. Life has been busy and I haven’t been able to get into the garden as much. Things are winding down for the cold season fortunately and while there is still much to do in the garden it always seems more manageable when the weeds are no … Read more
The blue berries I’m about to show aren’t from any blueberry bush but are from the Arrowwood viburnum! This viburnum is one of my favorites (but really, I think all viburnums are my favorites). Viburnum dentatum has white flowers that appear in spring and are a great source of nectar for bees and butterflies. The … Read more
My gardens haven’t seen any rain for several weeks now. The grass is brown and I even commented to my daughter that it sounds like crunchy snow. Of course the reality couldn’t be further from the truth – it’s hot! No snowball could survive in our back yard today with temperatures expected to rise into … Read more
Fads come and go and garden fads do the same thing. What I like today might be different in 10 years, 5 years, or even 1 year! But for this Friday Five post I thought I’d tell you a little about the plants I really like right now. While this list contains some specific plants … Read more
Viburnum dentatum is one of my favorite shrubs in our garden. It’s not as showy as the Japanese dappled willow or the purple beautyberry. It’s not as flashy as roses nor does it provide year round color like the ‘Otto Luyken’ cherry laurels. But it does have an important role in our garden. This viburnum … Read more
It’s not often that I am so impressed by a nursery that I feel compelled to write about them. So many nurseries just do things the same way, the established way. I know it works well but when a nursery steps it up a notch it REALLY works. Growild Nursery in Fairview, Tennessee to me … Read more
I wish you could smell the garden right now. If I could bring you the scents of my garden through this post I would. What’s making my garden so fragrant? A combination of two plants: Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’ and the irises! The combination of the two is bringing a honeysuckle like fragrance to the … Read more
There are few shrubs I like better than viburnums and truly the ‘Shasta’ Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tormentosum) is one of the more beautiful selections of viburnums. The viburnum pictured below is in its fourth year of growing in my garden and has never looked better! Loads of white lacecap flowers cover the branches in … Read more
Yes deer season is in full swing, but that’s not what I’m shooting! The other day I ventured around the garden just to see what was growing (and what wasn’t), what was blooming (and what wasn’t), and what I needed to get done (or put off/procrastinate). In the latter category there is a mountain of … Read more
It’s been a while since I’ve talked much about plant propagation so that means it’s time to talk plant propagation! Here’s a picture update of what has been rooting in my garden. Almost all the following plants were kept in my simple plant propagation chamber (that’s a fancy name for the two big plastic boxes … Read more
Since so much of the garden right now is suffering from lack of adequate rainfall I thought it might be a good time to look back at a few past plant propagation posts. Some of these are favorites of mine and hopefully they will be useful for you too! Propagating Shrubs: ‘Shasta’ Viburnum plicatum var. … Read more
Have you ever stood back and tried to observe your garden at a different angle? Maybe from up high on a slope? Or down low from the ground looking up at the flowers and trees? Sometimes it’s helpful to take a different perspective in order to plan out your garden better. Here’s an example. I … Read more
By far my most favorite shrub is the viburnum. I’m working on collecting as many as I can, either through propagation or buying them, to fill in areas around our gardens. If you don’t have a viburnum in your garden you really should plant at least one or two. Some are fragrant, some are evergreen, … Read more
I have many favorite plants (as all gardeners can attest to) but I am really a big fan of viburnums. Many viburnums have showy flowers in the spring, leafy green foliage throughout the growing season, and great fall color. Some are evergreen, many provide food for the birds in the form of berries, and they … Read more
Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is one of my favorite shrubs (among too many to list) for good reason! It’s easy to grow, it’s dark glossy leaves change to various colors in red hues during the fall, and it provides nourishment in the form of berries for our local avian population. This variety is called ‘Morton’, … Read more
Last summer I took cuttings from one of my viburnums and a couple spireas. They have a good start this year and are beginning to put on new growth. The viburnum came from a softwood cutting that was about 3-4 nodes long. I need to transplant it into some better soil since all I used … Read more
