Some gardeners are afraid to plant large shrubs that grow wide and tall. I'm not. This Snowball Viburnum is a mass of branches and has many suckers around its base. But I leave it in its natural form because it provides cover for the birds in all seasons. In winter, the lack of leaves reveals just how many birds enjoy the cover of this shrub. When I'm not standing nearby trying to take a picture, they are all over it, prancing from one limb to another, darting from it to the nearby feeders … [Read more...] about Revealing birds, fairies, and letters
shrubs
The May Dreams Gardens Board of Directors Met and…
The Board of Directors for May Dreams Gardens recently met to review a full agenda of decisions, actions, ideas, and reports. Members of the Board who were present included Hortense Hoelove, Dr. Hortfreud, Thorn Goblinfly, The Old Woman at the Door and Carol. One of the first items on the agenda was how many votes Thorn thought she should have. She claimed to be representing so many garden fairies that she wanted extra votes to ensure their interests would be well represented. It was agreed … [Read more...] about The May Dreams Gardens Board of Directors Met and…
Guest Post: Garden Fairies on the Eve of Gardening Week
Garden fairies here! We are all in a dither and don't know quite what to make of this new turn of events here at May Dreams Gardens. Normally, we garden fairies have to sneak around to get a chance to post on this blog, but tonight it appears like Carol actually wants us to post. We are garden fairies! We do not do what people want us to do. We do what we want to do. What we would like to do now is tell you about this new flower that showed up in the garden this spring. It's on a shrub! … [Read more...] about Guest Post: Garden Fairies on the Eve of Gardening Week
Fragrant Sumac Redeems Itself In My Garden
I sometimes wonder if the neighbors think I’m growing poison ivy on the side of my house. “Leaves of three, let it be.” This is Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-low’, Fragrant Sumac. It has leaves of three that turn this lovely red color in the fall, just like poison ivy. But it isn’t poison ivy, it is Fragrant Sumac, and this particular variety only grows about two feet tall, but spreads nicely. I used to be ambivalent about it. I bought it because I wanted a nice plant in the spot where it is, … [Read more...] about Fragrant Sumac Redeems Itself In My Garden
Five Types of Shrub Buyers
Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' After completing extensive research, mostly from years of buying shrubs, I’ve noted five types of shrub buyers. The Researcher: The researchers know exactly what shrubs they want to buy, right down to the cultivar name. They’ve done their homework. They’ve done online searches for the shrubs they are interested in and cross referenced that information with books and then double checked their choices through online forums to make sure they’ve picked the perfect shrub. … [Read more...] about Five Types of Shrub Buyers
New In My Garden – Diervilla
New in my garden, Diervilla lonicera. A native shrub, one of its common names is Northern Bush Honeysuckle. It's on Indiana's threatened and endangered list, where it is noted as "rare". The garden designer suggested it, and I looked it up and then said yes. I said yes to most of the plants she suggested, as I recall, and was enthusiastic about all her plant choices. She might recall that I was a gardener with definite likes and dislikes, who had to be convinced on the … [Read more...] about New In My Garden – Diervilla
