Pretty pink in the garden
This is one of my favorite shrubs in my moon garden. Not only does it have a beautiful shade of white, but the new growth is a light pastel pink that compliments everything else. This is a member of the willow family,
Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki' or sometimes known as Dappled Willow. The new growth always flushes pink so I usually prune it back about once a month or so. It requires a good bit of water, but grows VERY QUICKLY and is quite a show stopper in the perennial garden. Can take clay soil, sandy soil - with lots of water, alkaline soil, sun or shade. Everything we have here in our valley. It is hardy to zone 5, but even though I have had die back on the very cold winter, it doesn't matter, it bounces back up when the temps come up and I start putting water to it.
We have had people into the nursery this past week concerned because some of their trees or shrubs aren't "waking up" this year. If they just planted them last year then it can really be a concern as they don't have anything to reference from previous seasons. This is one of the shrubs that is VERY LATE to come to the Spring table. It is a
Vitex agnus-castus 'Chaste Tree'. Mine doesn't even have a bud on it, yet when I scratch the trunk it is green, so no worries.
Everyone needs one of these shrubs in their yard, fast grower, gorgeous color, pretty little flowers, this variety is called
Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'. We have been looking on the availability lists every week for this one, trust me, as soon as it comes in we will let you know. Mine has been in the ground for about 3 years now, it is 6' tall and about that wide also. Tolerates all soils and is a real show stopper not just for the pink flowers it produces but the dark almost black foliage.
another late bloomer, so don't worry....
Catalpa speciosa 'Western Catalpa' but the buds are coming.
Another late one to not worry about, the Chitalpa.
I gazed over the back fence and panicked when I saw my Boxelder,
Acer negundo 'Flamingo'Box Elder, as it looked like it was completely wilted. I knew Bob had already turned all the drips back on so I went out back to check on it, and was nicely surprised to see that it was the 'flowers' of the tree that I was seeing. Don't know why, but every year I forget that this tree puts on this beautiful show. Pictures just don't do it justice. But I do remember why they call it 'Flamingo' now. Fast grower, always looks nice, no special care, and a maple that can take our alkaline soil with no problem. Like the willow above, the new growth is a nice shade of pink.
Enjoy the garden, and don't forget to play in the dirt every chance you get, Susan
