|
|
Although the blooms
of summer are a
distant memory and
the splendor of
fall is neatly raked
into the compost
pile, don’t
think that your
yard has to be dreary
from now until spring.
Blooms, bark, berries,
and background planting
are the secrets
of a colorful and
interesting winter
landscape.
|
|
Evergreens are the mainstay
of the winter landscape.
When the shade and flowering
trees and shrubs of spring
and summer have entered
their winter sleep, it's
evergreens that take the
stage. Spruce, Cedar,
Pine, Hemlock, Arborvitae,
Yew and Juniper- there
are many beautiful varieties
suitable for foundation
or specimen planting,
windbreaks, screens and
groundcover. Some change
into their ‘winter
wardrobe’ too: "Reingold"
Arborvitae takes on a
coppery hue, while Junipers
like "Bar Harbor"
and "Prince of Wales"
turn bronzy purple. Don't
forget broad-leaved evergreens
for texture contrast,
plus make use of evergreen
perennials like Coral
Bells (Heuchera), Thrift
(Armeria), Creeping Phlox,
Candytuft (Iberis) and
varieties of Sedum, for
groundcover or edging.
A few ornamental grasses
such as Blue Fescue retain
their color in winter.
The foliage and flowers
of others, like Miscanthus
and Fountain Grass (Pennisetum),
dries to a biscuit color
and look particularly
effective against a snowy
backdrop.
Berry-bearing plants are
a boon for birds, as well
as being a decorative
addition to the winter
landscape. Try prickly
Pyracantha, colorful Cotoneaster,
and hardy Hollies- a must
for holiday decorating.
Hollies come in many shapes
and sizes for all sorts
of landscaping situations.
Plant a dwarf grower like
"Blue Angel"
(Ilex meserveae ‘Blue
Angel’) as a foundation
plant, a medium grower
like China Girl (Ilex
cornuta ‘China Girl’)
as a screen or hedge and
a tall grower like "Nellie
Stevens" (Ilex) as
a specimen. Hollies require
a male pollinator for
best berry production.
Be sure and ask us which
pollinator you need for
the variety you select.
The beautiful bark, which
many trees and shrubs
exhibit, can be seen at
its best during winter,
when leaves have fallen.
Paper Park Maple (Acer
griseum) is a delightful
small specimen tree with
reddish- brown bark that
exfoliates in thin papery
sheets. Consider white
barked European or Himalayan
Birch or water-loving
River Birch with its eye-catching
grey-brown to cinnamon
colored peeling bark.
For attractive mottled
trunks, plant Stewartia
and Crepe Myrtle. The
dazzling stems of Red
and Yellow Twig Dogwood
brighten as the winter
progresses. Twig Dogwoods
look particularly stunning
when planted in groupings
in front of evergreen
trees.
Even in the middle of
winter, there are a few
plants that will surprise
us with flowers. Perennial
Christmas Rose (Helleborus
niger) has pretty white
buttercup-like flowers;
its cousin, Lenten Rose
(H. orientalis) blooms
a little later with flowers
ranging from purplish
green to white and pink.
Both are shade loving,
growing slowly to a loose
evergreen clump. Witch
Hazel (Hammamelis mollis)
is a large, multi-stemmed
shrub with fragrant late
winter blooms in yellow,
orange, or red. Other
late winter bloomers,
all of which are fragrant
also, include Leatherleaf
Mahonia (Mahonia bealii),
Wintersweet (Chimonanthus
praecox) and Sweet Box
(Sarcoccoca).
Stop by soon and talk
to us about helping you
plan your landscape to
include blooms, berries,
bark, and background plantings
for winter interest. Your
yard will never have the
winter doldrums again!
 Looking
for an easy-care spring-blooming
shrub that supplies year-round
beauty? Take a look at
Japanese Pieris this season!
DESCRIPTION:
Pieris japonica is an
upright evergreen shrub
with spreading branches.
It has the potential to
grow 6-8 feet high and
4-6 feet wide. This is
an easy to care for four
season plant. Except when
they emerge in early Spring
with a bronzy hue, the
leaves of the Pieris are
lance-shaped and glossy
deep-green throughout
the year. The flowers
appear in April and last
well into May, a good
six weeks! The urn-shaped
blooms, like those of
lily-of-the-valley, hang
in heavy, drooping, pendulous
clusters that are 3-6
inches long. The fruit
is ornamental and will
persist through the winter,
but it is best to remove
the fruit so that the
plant will put its energy
into developing next year’s
flowers.
CULTURE:
Not as fussy as other
ericaceous plants like
heath and heather, Pieris
prefer a moist, well-drained,
acidic soil with a pH
in the range of 5.0 to
6.0. When planting, amend
soil with plenty of peat
moss; this will aid in
drainage and help make
the soil more acidic.
Organic matter like compost
should be added to compacted
soil to increase drainage
and should also be added
to sandy soil to enhance
water retaining capability.
Sulfur may be added to
the soil to lower the
pH if it is too high.
Follow the instructions
on the label. After planting,
mulch the soil around
the base of the plant
with two inches of bark
mulch, making sure to
keep it from touching
the trunk of the shrub.
Pine bark mulch is a good
choice when mulching Pieris
because it will acidify
the soil as it decomposes.
Pieris
like a semi-shady location
and will flower best in
areas where they receive
some sun during the day.
Protect all broadleaf
evergreens from the prevailing
winter winds. If this
is not possible, spray
them in the winter with
Wilt-Pruf, an anti-desiccant,
to prevent winter burn.
Pieris must be watered
frequently during the
first year after planting
to encourage root growth.
The addition of a root
stimulator, such as Root
Master B-1 with Hormones,
at planting time will
encourage the plant to
quickly create deep strong
roots. After becoming
established, Pieris are
relatively drought tolerant
but they do, of course,
grow best with consistent
adequate moisture. Fertilize
Pieris with Holly-tone,
full strength in the Spring
and half strength in the
Fall.
Pruning
of Pieris is usually not
required. When purchasing,
know the ultimate size
of the cultivar you desire
so that you may choose
a suitable location in
your landscape where the
plant may grow to its
full potential. If pruning
is necessary, prune immediately
after flowering so as
not to interfere with
the formation of next
season’s buds.
DESIGN:
Pieris mix well with shade
loving plants that require
acidic soils such as azaleas
and rhododendrons. Highly
diversified in its design
use, Pieris works well
in a Japanese garden,
woodland setting, shrub
border, foundation and
mass planting. The smaller
varieties look great in
containers and in rock
gardens. Pieris are deer
resistant shrubs.
CULTIVARS:
We have a great collection
of Pieris cultivars to
satisfy the novice as
well as the discriminating
connoisseur:
‘Brookside’
- New growth on this pieris
is chartreuse. It has
upright white flowers
and a dwarf habit, maturing
at only 1 to 2 feet tall.
‘Brower’s
Beauty’
– Compact form,
4 feet wide by 6 feet
high. This is a heavy
bloomer with large trusses
of white flowers in the
Spring.
‘Cavatine’
- This is a low growing,
compact mounding cultivar
with white flowers that
are held upright on the
plant. This pieris blooms
slightly later than other
cultivars.
‘Dorothy
Wycoff’
– Compact form,
4 feet wide by 6 feet
high. Dorothy has dark
red buds opening to pale
pink flowers.
‘Flaming
Silver’
- The leaves emerge a
brilliant red, turning
green with a pink margin
and finally becoming green
with a silver-white edge.
This cultivar matures
at 6 feet wide by 6 feet
high.
‘Forest
Flame’
– Light pink leaves
mixed among brilliant
red appear after the plant
has finished blooming
in the Spring. Flowers
are white. This Pieris
grows 8 to 10 feet tall.
‘Mountain
Fire’ –
With its vivid fiery-red
new growth, clean white
flowers and a compact
uniform growth habit,
this pieris has become
increasingly popular in
the last few years. ‘Mountain
Fire’ pieris matures
at 4 feet high by 4 feet
wide.
‘Prelude’
– This
pieris would make a wonderful
addition to any rock garden.
It is a dense mounding,
low growing cultivar with
red new growth that blooms
slightly later than most
other pieris.
‘Valley
Fire’ –
The young growth on this
vigorous grower is a brilliant
red. This cultivar has
white flowers that are
larger than most other
pieris.
‘Valley
Valentine’
– What a beauty!
This pieris has deep maroon
flower buds on pendulous
flower stems that open
into deep rose-pink, long-lasting
flower chains. It is a
slow growing cultivar
with a compact mounding
habit maturing at about
5 feet tall by 6 feet
wide.
‘Variegata’
– Attractive
leaves are green with
white margins. Flowers
gracefully droop in white
clusters. This Pieris
grows to 5 feet tall in
the garden or landscape.
|
