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Viburnum x bodnantense "Dawn"

Just thought I would put up a pic of a shrub that has flowered all through the bad December just gone.

It has to be said a lot of the blossom was hit by the frosts but she is still putting on a show in the middle of February.

 

My only regret is that its planted in the middle of a boarder when it would have been better being nearer to where you walk as the scent is very sweet.

She needs to have one or two branches taken out sometime but other than that is very trouble free in a clay type soil with a bit of compost added.

 Chris

A very old Shropshire Lad.

  • What a good plant to have for winter interest - I must keep it in mind when I get round to repairing and replanting my garden.

    Claire

    "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake

  • I'm so glad you've told me what this shrub is Chris - I'm not good on shrubs, never had room for many and this one's in my new garden but its been pruned to within an inch of it's life and there are just a few flowers - I kept meaning to check the poor thing out but haven't got to it. So I just leave it so it can flower on new wood next year do I?

  • ClaireM said:

    What a good plant to have for winter interest - I must keep it in mind when I get round to repairing and replanting my garden.

    Claire

     

    Repairing? how did you break it? :)

    It's both what you do and the way that you do it!

    You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.
    William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)

  • ClaireM said:

    What a good plant to have for winter interest - I must keep it in mind when I get round to repairing and replanting my garden.

    Claire


    Repairing? how did you break it? :)

    It's both what you do and the way that you do it!

    You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.
    William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)

  • Hoping to repair some storm and frost damage : )

    "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake

  • Hi,  I have one of these bushes towards the end of my evergreen hedge, it is kept to about 10ft high and is beautiful now just like yours. The end bush in the hedge gets small honeysuckle looking  flowers on in spring and is very highly scented.  As it was there when we bought the bungalow I looked it up in a gardening book and think it said it was an Australian honeysuckle, must look it up again, the bees love it.

  • Kezsmum said:

    I'm so glad you've told me what this shrub is Chris - I'm not good on shrubs, never had room for many and this one's in my new garden but its been pruned to within an inch of it's life and there are just a few flowers - I kept meaning to check the poor thing out but haven't got to it. So I just leave it so it can flower on new wood next year do I?

     

    Yes leave it to grow this year and then prune one third after flowering :-)

     Chris.

     

    A very old Shropshire Lad.

  • Thanks for sharing this Chris,

    My garden is approx 130' long and I am currently trying to find shrubs and small trees to create 'informal' hedges with year round interest so this will now be on the list!

    I presume like most Viburnums parts of it are extremely poisonous?

    If this is the case people will have to be careful not to plant it too near to ponds as Viburnums can be detrimental to fish/wildlife health (worth checking out before you plant?)   

  • Unknown said:
    Yes leave it to grow this year and then prune one third after flowering :-)

    Thanks Chris:-)

  • higgy50 said:

    I presume like most Viburnums parts of it are extremely poisonous?

    If this is the case people will have to be careful not to plant it too near to ponds as Viburnums can be detrimental to fish/wildlife health (worth checking out before you plant?)   

     

    I should imagine so.

    The sparrows and bluetits use it as a perch before entering the garden and last week I saw my one and only goldcrest flit through it :-)

    It would work well in a hedge as from a base of a foot square she puts up a good dozen branches and when the leaves are out they are just as beautiful dark green heavy veined.

     Chris.

    A very old Shropshire Lad.