A Profusion of Blooms from Grandmother's Garden My favorite deciduous shrub for mid-spring color is a plant that was widely grown in grandmother's times - Kolkwitzia amabilis, commonly and aptly named Beauty Bush. This plant was discovered in China around the turn of the last century by the world's preeminent plant explorer E.H. Wilson, who considered it one of his finest introductions. It quickly became very popular first in England and then here. In 1946, the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Gardens introduced an improved form with superior flowering. This week we are featuring that selection of Beauty Bush - appropriately named 'Pink Cloud.' 'Pink Cloud' blooms for several weeks in May (in cool seasons up to a month) with a fountain of thousands of bell-shaped, soft pink flowers with yellow throats. The blooms are displayed on arching stems and literally cover the plant, creating a singularly effective display.
With new horticultural techniques of container growing, unfortunately Beauty Bush fell into disfavor. It resents pot culture, looks spindly and weak in the container and is easily passed over. Once planted in the garden, however, it rapidly and reliably grows robustly. I consider Beauty Bush to be a far superior plant to Weigela, yet for every 100 Weigela you see, you may spot one Beauty Bush in someone's garden.
Maturing at eight feet tall and six feet wide, I have used Beauty Bush in my landscape designs as a screen, as a specimen and at the corner of a house in groups of three. It looks particularly striking surrounded by early-flowering red peonies. I have never seen an insect or disease on a Beauty Bush. It asks only for any reasonable soil that is well-drained. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate very light shade. Kolkwitzia is incredibly drought tolerant. I have a specimen planted strategically as you come up my driveway that has been in place for years and has never seen a drop of water from a hose - even in the worst of droughts. For maximum flower production, after about 5 years we recommend an annual pruning right after the flowers fade. Either remove 1/3 of the stems (the oldest ones) at ground level or give the plant an all-over haircut, removing about 25% of the foliage mass.
Planting and Care
Click here to view Pink Cloud on the Carroll Gardens website.
Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.
Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.
Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.
Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.
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