A Trifecta for May

Years ago, when I first started to learn horticultural vocabulary; I had two bosses who gave me a new plant to learn everyday. Starting out in this business over twenty years ago, I worked a summer job at Metropolitan Plant Exchange in West Orange, New Jersey. I had two wonderful mentors, Tony Maiello and Stephen Schuckman. To this day we are the best of friends and both are true gentleman in every sense of the word. My friends taught me much about plants and even more about business over the years. To this day I remember the word games they gave me to try and remember some of the complex vocabulary that often comes with botanical nomenclature. I would do word associations to remember the plants. Three plants that are stellar performers for the month of May are Deutzia, Exochorda and Fothergilla (D, E & F).

I believe this to be true: all three of these plants are highly underused in our landscapes today. Azaleas and rhododendron seem to account for much of the retail sales in May and when I suggest these other three plants, people often balk at the thought simply because they have not heard the names as often or if ever. The thought of buying a plant that you have never heard of seems preposterous to most. Often the first response I get is “is it hardy”? In fact these three plants offer so much to a landscape and all are “tough as nails”.

Slender Deutzia, Deutzia gracilis, I have long admired, if for no other reason, it seems to be very deer resistant. Do I have your attention yet? Slender Deutzia is a medium sized shrub that grows comfortably between 2 and 4 feet tall and wide. It can grow slightly larger, however, it can easily be kept to these specs. This broad mound of a shrub has graceful, slender branches. A deciduous beauty that looks fantastic when mass planted, especially in the month of May. Perfect, white flowers, that have some fragrance, are born in panicles and continue to flower for two weeks. Place this small garden gem in more sun than shade and prune them after they flower. The fall color can be purple, however, I find that to be hit and miss.

Common Pearlbush, Exochorda racemosa, is perhaps the one that people have least heard of. This is a sizeable plant that can exceed 10 feet high and wide. Perfectly hardy to zone 4, Exochorda has captivated me ever since a saw a hedge line of it in Bernards Township, New Jersey. Another noteworthy spot to view this beauty is Longwood Gardens. Consider using this plant the same way you would use some Viburnum. Sometimes described as being open in habit or loose, Pearlbush can be trimmed hard to have a more dense habit. Again, perfect white flowers appear here and last for a few weeks. The flowers are 5-petaled and are 1 ½” across. According to Michael Dirr, “each expanding bud reminds of a pearl”. With no serious pests, Exochorda likes full to part sun and can survive even with neglect. Be on the look out for Exochorda x ‘The Bride’. A dense, compact hybrid of (E. racemosa x E. korolkowii) that only grows to about 4 feet tall, this garden gem features racemes 3-4” long of 5-petaled white flowers. Yellow fall color is a bonus here also.

Finally, dwarf Fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenii. This botanical beauty looks outstanding in the landscape in mass or as a single specimen in a container. Only growing 3-5 feet tall with a similar spread, Fothergilla is hardy to Maine. With almost blue-green foliage that is quilted and leathery, Fothergilla has sensational fall color markings. Expect a combination of yellows, oranges and reds in the autumn. For now, look for white, fragrant 2” long flower spikes that look like a bottlebrush. Easy to spot now as the flowers precede the foliage. Another trouble free plant that would benefit from more sun than shade, Fothergilla will even tolerate clay soil. An excellent choice for borders, containers and foundation plantings, this plant truly has 3 seasons of interest. Couple this native plant with ericaceous plants and your garden will “pop”.

Don’t get caught up this spring with just azaleas and rhododendron. There are so many other worthwhile plants out there for you to consider. Be bold, think out of the box, and try something new in your garden. The average cost for one of these plants can be the same price as an entrée in a nice restaurant. That experience can be gone the next day, but these plants can last a lifetime.

Spring Fever

Living in New Jersey we are privileged to experience the changing of seasons. We can experience them in their entirety, both the good and the bad. Winter can dish out some knockout storms, but it also sets a backdrop for some outstanding color. The redtwig dogwoods and the cinnamon-brown bark of Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple) really shine against a white backdrop. And while the palate of color offered to gardeners in the winter is plentiful it is those little nubs that sit patiently through winter, unfolding themselves as spring approaches, that lets us know a new season is upon us. We are welcomed each spring with an explosion of color that raises our spirits and wets our appetites to get back into or gardens.

One of the first deciduous trees to welcome us to spring is the Chinese Redbud (Cercis chinensis). This modest sized tree with erect branching is literally covered with rose-purple colored flowers in late March and April. The flowers are born directly on the bark, starting as little colored nubs and finishing like a red streamer. Indigenous to central China, this small tree can fit into any landscape comfortably. With a height and width of only 10 to 15 feet, it is a small wonder signaling things to come. Following it’s profusion of color are its heart-shaped, glossy green leaves. Try searching out the cultivar ‘Avondale’ and you won’t believe your eyes. This species is best planted in full sun and while it enjoys well drained soil, it is highly adaptive.

Another exciting deciduous plant with extending characteristics is Fothergilla. This eye-opener offers three seasons of interest. First to show are its fragrant, white flowers which almost always appear before its foliage. Looking like tiny bottle-brushes, these flowers persist for about two weeks. Attractive, dark green, somewhat leathery foliage in the summer is offered, however, some varieties like ‘Blue Mist’ can have more of a blue hue. Finally, in the fall, Fothergilla can serve up extremes in color from brilliant yellows to oranges and scarlets, often on the same leaves. Heights can vary from 2-3 feet on gardenia (dwarf Fothergilla) to 6-10 feet on major (large Fothergilla). Whatever your appetite and garden footprint is you’re sure to find a cultivar that will fit nicely into your garden space, offering up seasonal interest. Fothergilla looks fantastic tucked in with such evergreens as rhododendron and laurels, offering a different texture to the landscape. Whenever possible look for a site that has part to full sun for its best color markings.

A lesser known plant material that acts as a building block for larger plants to sit behind is Sarcococca (Himalayan Sweetbox). An evergreen groundcover, Sweetbox has its name from tiny, white, fragrant, flowers that usually appear each March and April under its foliage. Native to Afghanistan and the Himalayas, Sarcococca has narrow, stylish, dark green foliage. It pairs itself nicely when mass planted amongst smaller deciduous plant materials. A great groundcover that can stay in bounds without fear of running rampant, the variety humilis seems to be the best for northern gardens. Size can vary from 1-2 feet to 4-6 feet. Try to place this plant in partial to shady areas or under larger specimens to block out some sun.

Now that winter seems to be behind us, it’s nice to know that the offerings of spring are on their way. With such diversity in foliage, flower color, fruit set and bark appeal, New Jersey has many plants that will thrive in our climate. Decisions for your garden should not be made capriciously, however many are reversible. As you travel through your local garden centers, arboretums and backyard gardens this spring…take notes and plan well. Remember spring is on its way and the best is yet to come.