You'll have to excuse me for the straggly appearance of this brazen forsythia, in full flower finally today on April 10th. I have at 5 different cultivars of Forsythia out in the garden ('Spring Glory', 'Meadowlark', 'Show Off', an unknown gift shrub, and several 'Golden Tines') and this single 'Golden Tines' is the only one to bloom with any show this year. Why this one? The others are straggly at best, almost barren at worst, so thank God for this front and center golden jewel. Yes, I didn't trim it last fall, didn't remove the long shoots of late summer, for I planned to bring those inside and force bloom this spring. Obviously, the cold and winter doldrums kept me from following through on that well-intentioned plan. And I'm ashamed of the unclean bed around the forsythia; I just haven't gotten even the front landscape bed ready yet for spring.
While I do hope for a bold yellow forsythia bloom each spring, I'm never surprised when the "pink forsythia", Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’ blooms only sparsely and briefly, This year it lived down to my expectations, barely attempting any blooms and showing none of its usual pink blush, white fragility in the flesh. I've had this shrub for 13 years, so it is hardy here, but certainly not vigorous and it hardly provides any show, early bloomer that it is. It was already at peak bloom here, on April 1st this year, and already nearly barren as it yields to the rest of the garden. Sweetly scented if you get close, Abeliophyllum is a distraction for me, the earliest shrub to flower and the only one until the M. stellata gets going. I keep it for that reason, something for my soul to grasp onto as I desperately wait spring.Despite my earlier whining, my Puschkinia finally did bloom, shown here in a front bed near the edge where it begs you to bend over and look closer. Alongside the Scilla, it raises my spirts for a few weeks as I drive home for work each day, right by the garage pad where it can catch my glimpse and welcome me home.Closeup 'Abeliophyllum distichum' |