In gardening, the key is planting the right plant in the right place. That seems simple enough. It seems like common sense. It must be what I’ve been doing all these years. Not so much.
When we planted our forsythias some 15 years ago, I didn’t know that it wasn’t the right place for tall shrubs. Our forsythias insist on doing what forsythias do – they want to be taller than me. I have to trim them several times a year to be the right size, and in the process I cut off the early spring blooms. Lots of work, no blooms, and less than attractive results.
In my quest for low maintenance gardening, it was time for the forsythias to go. I’m not sure who it was more painful for, them or me. Judging by the picture below, I’m going to have to guess them, or maybe Mike. He was tasked with removing two of the three forsythias. Maybe next year we can bear to let the last one go.
I do have a list of low maintenance shrubs I could replace them with. I got it from Heather at Bertholds earlier this year. When I needed that list for my Low Maintenance Gardening presentation, I knew exactly who to turn to. Heather knows what she is talking about, and I can trust her to give me good advice. Here is her list of favorite low maintenance shrubs:
Forsythia Gold Tide – Dwarf type stays compact, feathery-edge foliage. Nice burgundy fall color giving multi-season interest.
Deutzia Gracilis – Loads of white bell-like clusters of flowers over entire shrub in late spring, also has really nice burgundy fall color.
Hydrangea Twist-n-Shout – Lacecap hydrangea flowers pink or blue depending upon pH. Very hardy and another nice semi-shade plant.
Magnolia Ann – Dwarf magnolia for those who love magnolias but don’t have room for a large tree. Beautiful deep pink/fuchsia flowers.
Spirea Tor – Does not look like typical spirea! White flowers, rich grey-green birch-like leaves turn orange, red & purple in fall. Only 2-3′ high & wide.
So which am I going to get? Probably none. Heather and I have talked about a tree, and I haven’t quite found one large enough to give us light filtered shade and be only 20 – 30 feet tall. I want the tree in, and I want it in now. But I’m not going to do that. I eventually will find the right plant for the right place. Just not today.
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