Smelly Spring Shrubs
The day was beautifully sunny outside and the 7″ of snow from last night was quickly cleared by Larry H., Big John and Dennis. Dick H. did the plowing yesterday (popped in today too) and we also saw Mark S., Janice, Mary Kay, Cathy, Mocha (cute dog) and Zorro (cute dog). I continue to order seeds with a focus on our spring plant sale vegetables. I’m almost done with our selections of tomatoes and peppers but we’ll also have lots of herbs, perennials and other vegetables available at the sale (Mother’s Day weekend!). Plant lists will be on our website by mid March I hope! I thought I’d include some fragrant, spring blooming shrubs in this blog to help get us through another winter day. The photo directly above and two below show the awesome, sweet-scented fragrant abelia (Abelia mosanensis) which blooms in late April / early May with a strong, sweet perfume that can be detected at quite a distance. This shrub also gets exceptional fall color in the bright orange tones. Multiple seasons of interest from all of our plants should be a goal. Spring blooming shrubs are fairly common but those with significant fragrance are on a shorter list. Here are some of my favorites. Keep in mind that scent is subjective and knowing the needs of these shrubs for proper placement, health and longevity is vital. Breathe in the beauty but know the actual scent is only mere months away!…
witchalder (Fothergilla major) – above and two below (slightly scented for all witchalders)
Beaver Creek® witchalder (Fothergilla gardenii ‘KLMtwo’) – above and below
‘E.A. Bowles’ variegated mockorange (Philadelphus coronarius) – above and three below
clove currant (Ribes aureum) – above and two below
white forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum) – above and below
‘Arch McKean’ French lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – above
‘Purple Heart’ French lilac (Syringa vulgaris) – above
‘Purple Haze’ hybrid lilac (Syringa hybrida) – above and below
Farrer viburnum (Viburnum farreri ‘Candidissimum’) – above and three below
Judd viburnum (Viburnum x juddii) – above
Spice Island® Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘Select A’) – above
Spiced Bouquet™ Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘J.N. Select’) – above
American Spice™ fragrant viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Duvone’) – above
compact Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii ‘Compactum’) – above
white fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) – above and three below (not really a shrub but a small tree!)
‘Carol Mackie’ daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii) – above and below
Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ (above and below) – slight fragrance
