Astilbe My Heart

This column appeared in The Landscaper in it's original form
 
Astilbe My Heart
By Laura Ann Harrington
 
False Spirea (Astilbe) is a statuesque perennial whose blossoms begin in June with the resounding testimony of a true garden staple. Worthy of all garden settings; Astilbes are summer’s true handmaiden.  At April’s end coiled stalks emerge from cool spring soils like false fiddleheads. Covered with tender translucent hairs like a coat of whiskers, they reach back to leaf out around the end of the first week of May in obeisance to something much larger than all of us. Rich green and intense bronze foliage leaf out with the promise of June glory.
 
Following the spring progress of Astilbe persuades you to believe in the simple concept of garden trust. Trust in a plant so wonderfully useful that rises again and again with so little prompting. Faithfully submitting to unyielding conditions to perform so beautifully each summer, is indeed a declaration of this plant’s devotion.
 
False Spirea is at once a background plant and a foreground icon. It can serve as a jaunty ground cover, or round out a bouquet center piece (cut plumes when flowers are half open). A shady spot will reign in color when Astilbe are massed in the border.
 
The flowers form as open and airy plumes or plumes thickly packed with the star like flowers. The best way to keep Astilbe’s happy is to situate them in shady moist soil well-drained soil, with protection from afternoon sun. They can tolerate full sun, but will require more diligent watering and are pest free (including Deer!)  and low maintenance. If the leaves burn at the margins, then re-site them in a shadier spot.
Unraveling the different species will help decide which Astilbe will serve you best.
 
Astilbe biternata (False Goats Beard) is a native woodland Astilbe, which can grow to five foot with a spread of 24”-30”. It has well branched flower plumes and blooms in June. It requires suitable shady spot. Check out out Astilbe biternata 'Bridal Veil' beautiful white plumes that bloom in June grows to 28" tall.
 
Astilbe chinensis – Chinese Astilbe is a later blooming species, good for carrying astilbe color into the end of July. Its foliage is deeply incised and coarse, and often bronze green in color. The flower panicles are narrowly branched. It is a good performer in moist soils, although it can be moderately drought tolerant. Try this shorter variety A. chinensis ‘Pumila’ as a great ground covers under trees.
 
Astilbe japonica (Japanese Astilbe) has an early bloom time (June) and glossy green leaves tinged with red and toothed. Its flowers are dense and in pyramidal clusters. There are tons of beautiful colors to choose from, like 'Peaches & Cream' soft light pin that mature to creamy white; 'Sister Theresa'- large salmon pink flowers.
 
Astilbe simplicifolia has glossy medium green leaves which are lobed and divided, it forms compact mounds. It sports airy flowers and has ornamental seed head structures that give additional garden interest. It is slow to establish, and can take up to three years to mature and is less drought tolerant. This species works well in containers and inter-planted with Japanese Painted Ferns. 'Darwin's Snow Sprite' is a favorite, it blooms later with clear white plumes over gorgeous dark green foliage; it looks great when planted enmasse.
 
Astilbe taquetii is an upright bloomer tightly branched and blooms in rose -lilac colors, it has medium green leaves. It blooms in July and August and grows to 42” tall.
 
Astilbe x thunbergii (Tall Japanese Astilbe) is a later summer bloomer with distinctive nodding flower clusters. It is a taller background plant with glaucous foliage. Good for grouping around a water feature. A. thunbergii ‘Ostrich Plume’ is a popular choice with pink flowers.
 
Extremely popular Astilbe x. arendisii hybrids boast of the most vibrant colored Astilbes to choose from. Developed by crossing several species, George Arends of Germany struck upon today’s most widely used cultivars. Blending A. chinensis var davidii strains with Astilbe astilboides and A. japonica and thunbergii, the results supply us with most of the astilbes you see on the market today.
 
And that is your Astilbe 101 crash course for today.

0 comments - Posted by Laura at 6:05 AM - Categories: Plant Profiles

Flowers First - Leaves Last

For those of you who were lucky enough to have a Nana who allowed you to have dessert first and then deal with dinner; you are going to appreciate this.

There are many plants that Flower First and Leaf out Last; thus confusing even the most savvy of perennial buyers. They receive their delivery and some of the plants that were listed as "Bud & Bloom" on the sales list, come in as a pot of dirt with a flower in it. They're all "Seriously, dude. Dude? What Is this? Seriously, dude."

And, then our phone rings.

And we're all, but seriously, dude? This is what it does. Flowers First, Leaves Last. And that is so cool. Really, it's like setting aside all of your expectations and receiving the Lotto win, before looking up the numbers. Or having the Fried Ice Cream before the broccoli. Why not?

Heres a short list of those plants you will be pleasantly surprised by:

Pulmonaria - Lungwort - Fancy spotted leaves provide interesting accent in the garden, but the flowers bud in early March and open in April when the leaves are still only as big as one knuckle length. Joyously colored,abundant purply-red, blue, dark pink on corymbs mature to blueish flowers. Rosettes of leaves plug on in the shade all summer long.

Helleborus - Lenten Rose - The winter die back leaves persist on Helleborus, while the early flowers find their way up to the light. Many varieties have nodding flowers, with the die-back leaves, but it flowers so early, who cares? After a few weeks the new leave sprout up with abandon and the flowers are steadfastly still hanging on. The leaves are evergreen, so what could be bad?

Epimedium - Bishops Hat - This low growing perennial is a tough customer, useful in shade and dappled sunlight and dry conditions. It bears starry flowers in the early spring before this ground cover's leaves have a chance to really fill in. It naturalizes nicely and emerges with a red tinge to the leaves. It is pest and disease free to boot.

Mertensia - Virginia Bluebells - this outstanding woodland plant serves as a spring beacon. Stalks of beautiful nodding pinkish flowers emerge and turn a striking blue in spring and are over taken by the plain medium green leaves through the season. These blue flowers just put a smile on your face. Plant in shady areas with moist soils. Remember that this mid-western native goes dormant in the summer heat, so interplant accordingly.

Bergenia - Pig Squeak - Bergenia is an industrial type of plant with coarse paddle shaped leathery leaves, but it sprouts pink to dark pink to white flower stalks in spring, before the large leaves unfold entirely. The stalks are thick and the flowers are undelicate, but provide a punch of color when we are all just waiting around for the season to star. Bergenia is a wonderful plant that tolerates a variety of soil and moisture conditions easily adaptable and very hardy, plant in full sun to shade.

1 comments - Posted by Laura at 5:20 PM - Categories: Garden Smarty

The Score on Hellebore

                       This article appeared in The Landscaper in its original form

My youngest daughter asked me what I was doing with so many books open on the kitchen table. “I’m reading about the topic for my next column.” I replied.
 ”Oh, what are you writing about?” she asked.
 ”Hellebore,” I said.
 ”Mom! Don’t curse!” she said.
 
Frost nipped fingers and frozen toes aside, if you are patiently waiting for spring, keep your eyes peeled for one of the areas earliest blooming perennials. Helleborus is named from the Greek words helein –to injure, and bora- food, which tells you that it’s poisonous and doesn’t taste so good at all. Native to Europe and in the buttercup or Ranunculaceae Family, its leathery divided leaves are evergreen and deer proof making it a valuable landscape plant.
 
Helleborus niger or Christmas Rose blooms the earliest, with wide white flowers, perking up out of the soil searching for a winter challenge. Its foliage is a duller green than other Helleborus. Hardy to Zones 3-8.
 
Christmas Rose is quickly followed by Helleborus orientalis, or Lenten Rose, sprouting nodding flowers in a variety of colors ranging from dark wine to blush pink, to stark white with any combination of spotted hues in between. It grows from 15?-18? tall. Look for new cultivars of Hellebourus o. hybrids Immanence Series, from German breeder Josef Heuger who has over 30 years experience breeding Hellebores. The Immanence Series was bred for higher bud count; more compact plants with upright facing flowers, this series of  Lenten Rose will surely become a garden favorite.

Helleborus foetidus or Stinking Hellbore, is a taller species growing to 18?-24? tall. It has a regal display of light green cup-shaped nodding flowers that are malodorous. The flowers provide a nice contrast to the foliage. I haven’t had the pleasure, but the word foetidus means fetid or stinking and I’ll just take their word for it. H. f. ‘Wester Fisk’ is a popular variety, with a red tint to the stems.
 
Practice patience when growing Helleborus, they can be temperamental, and are slow to become established. If you’re not having any luck, re-site it. Plant your hellebore in part to full shade and deeply rich soil. Most prefer moist but well drained soil. A some what sheltered place will help to eliminate the leaf scorch that can sometime occur. Since it’s such an exceedingly early bloomer you’ll need to plant hellebore near the house or walkway where it can be appreciated.  We’ve had several confirmed reports of Hellebores blooming right through May; surely these stands of Hellebores are really, really happy.

 
Be sure to ring in the new season with Hellebore, it’s a heck of an un-boring plant

0 comments - Posted by Laura at 6:09 AM - Categories: Plant Profiles

The Landscape of Resolution

0 comments - Posted by Laura at 7:12 AM - Categories: Garden Smarty |

Green Blues

0 comments - Posted by Laura at 9:35 AM - Categories: Garden Smarty |