A Growing Work of Art in the Garden

By Ms Sherry

‘Contorta’ filbert

Just as it is almost impossible to choose a favorite child or a favorite pet, it is almost impossible to pick a favorite plant, as each one has its own special glory. But there are those plants who manage to capture our attention on a regular basis more frequently, not because of their hijinks, but because of their gifts to the garden twelve months of the year. For me this “possible” favorite is Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick or ‘Contorta’ filbert. Harry Lauder is considered to be a deciduous shrub (or a tree.) It grows about 8 to 10 feet tall; mine might be a little bit taller, and although it can reach 12 feet wide, mine has not reached that width yet. Unfortunately, I do have to do some judicious pruning to keep it in the space where it was planted. It probably needed a bigger spot, but it has been there for more than ten years where it was planted as a gift for my husband. We bought it in the summer when we had no idea of its true glory. The glorious green foliage hid the wonderful gnarled and twisted branches and twigs which come into prominence when the leaves have dropped off in the fall. My friends line up for the clippings to add to flower arrangements. Although filberts are usually grown for their edible fruits, Harry Lauder’s fruits are ornamental; actually, I have only seen about two or three small fruits since I planted it. The male flowers are in the form of hanging catkins which cover the gnarled branches in the winter. My tree is in part sun (where I think it may be happiest) and I do keep it watered well in the summer heat in addition to giving the leaves a daily spritz with the hose sprayer. I am not sure if that is necessary; after it was attacked by insects during a year of drought, I decided the tree’s overall well-being was worth the extra effort.

Harry Lauder is a showstopper, a work of sculpture; in its full glory in the January sun, there is just nothing more beautiful in the garden.

A Garden Charmer

By Ms Sherry

‘Violet Picotee’ panolas

Although the days have gotten very cold here in East Central Alabama and dark comes at about 4:30 PM, it is still a fine time to get out and work in the yard. Some of you may call it work; to me it is fun. One day last week I raked up (with some help) enough leaves to fill a landfill. It was a beautiful cold, but crisp, day and the work was invigorating. My helpers repotted some dwarf Japanese maples that had out-grown their pots, Now is a good time for that garden task (as well as transplanting anything that needs a new home) as the shrubs/trees can concentrate on adjusting to their new environment without working to maintain their foliage. We planted about 80 daffodil and crocus bulbs with the aid of a wonderful bulb planter from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.( If you haven’t made your wish list yet this year, this gadget would be a wonderful addition to your tool shed.)

The recently planted pansies got a layer of mulch with pine straw collected from a neighbor’s yard. I hope that you have added some of these little charmers to your garden, either in planters or in a color bed.  Pansies are a delight and should be part of everybody’s winter and spring garden. In my 39 years in the same house there has been only one year without pansies. That particular year my college-age daughter came home for the weekend, looked around, and asked where the pansies were. Today ten flats of pansies, their precious faces brightening every corner of the sunny garden—some in pots and some in the ground—are planted around the yard. Pansies are not demanding, troublesome creatures. They have simple needs: six hours of sun, fertile loose soil, some slow release fertilizer at planting time, and doses of water soluble fertilizer every two weeks once the show begins (especially during the occasional warm spells in February). Dead heading keeps the blooms coming and keeps them neat and happy. Dead heading a bed of pansies is one of the nicest winter afternoon chores. What pansies will give you back can’t be measured. Their glorious smiling faces will cheer even the dreariest of days. It is not too late to add a few pansies to your garden, especially in containers. The other day while shopping at one of the big box home improvement stores I noticed a new shipment of glorious violas and pansies nestled among the Christmas foliage. If your ground is already frozen, it may be too late to plant them in a bed but once early spring arrives you can add them then. Fall (after the hot dry days have passed) is the best time to plant; the nurseries will have a bountiful selection beginning around Halloween. Since deer love to eat pansies as much we like to admire them, a frequent spray of deer repellant is also a good idea.

This year I purchased seven flats of ‘Violet Picotee’ panolas, one flat of orange panolas and a flat of a new viola called ‘Penny Peach Jump- up’ which I mixed with a flat of with ‘Sorbet Coconut’. The panola is a cross between a pansy and a viola and it has the best of both worlds –  the typical larger pansy face and the numerous blooms of the violas.

As a gardener and lover of growing things I can’t imagine my life without pansies – planted so that everywhere I look out of the kitchen window their velvety faces greet me. And then, too, nothing brightens the inside like a bouquet of pansies.

 

 

 

Japanese Maples

By Ms Sherry

‘Sharp’s Pygmy’

‘Shaina’

If there is one plant in the garden that makes me stop and stare four seasons of the year, it is the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). I am especially fond of the dwarf ones; I have 28 different trees in my garden and all but two are named; each one has its own charm and personality. The palmatums come in a range of sizes from dwarf that may reach only three feet to those that may reach twenty feet at maturity. Many are so slow-growing that they will never outgrow their original space. Many sport leaves variegated with an array of colors. Japanese maples can fit in any corner in the garden if you have the right conditions. Some selections can easily make a large pot their home. (If you grow them in a pot, please do not put them on concrete in the sun as the heat will be too much for them.) Mine are all growing in filtered shade although there are a few hardy souls such as ‘Waterfall’ who will take full sun in my climate zone (7B-8A). My experience, however, has been that they do better protected from the afternoon sun. Japanese maples do not like extreme drought conditions and, if not kept well watered when there is no rain, they will quickly defoliate. They will put out new leaves. It is best, however, to keep them well watered so that the stress of losing their leaves and putting them back on again can be avoided.  In very hot and dry conditions the tips of the leaves can also look as if they are burned. I can’t tell you which one is my favorite. ‘Sangu Kaku’ is a stunner for the bark that turns red in the winter. There are many selections with lovely lacy foliage. Some grow upright; others weep. ‘Viridis’ can’t be topped for its wonderful cascading growth habit resembling an umbrella. For fall color Japanese maples put on a magnificent show with foliage in shades of red, bronze, yellow, and orange; the spring foliage can take your breath away too. ‘Butterfly’ sports pink markings on the leaves. Even the bare trunks and twigs add interest and texture to the winter garden. There are so many cultivars that I could go on for pages so I would recommend your adding JAPANESE MAPLES by J.D. Vertrees to your book shelf. Even if you have no room in your garden to plant one yourself, the photographs and descriptions in the book are so marvelous it is worthwhile having.

Consider planting at least one Japanese maple in your landscape, taking into consideration its eventual size, its growth habits, and its cultural needs. They are not difficult trees to grow but one of the most rewarding to have.