Yellow Blooming Spring Shrubs, the difference between Winter Jasmine and Forsythia

Very appropriate setting for Forsythia hedge, open spaced area

One of the most common garden plant identification errors is confusing the Winter Jasmine for Forsythia. Spring after Spring people excitedly claim how beautiful the Forsythia is, when in reality, it's Winter Jasmine. Differences between Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and Forsythia vary between bloom time, height, and flower shape. It's an easy mistake to make, especially when we're all so thrilled to see anything blooming! Forsythia and Winter Jasmine can both bloom when it's snowing and most varieties have yellow flowers. They are both grouped in the olive family genus, Oleaceae and most varieties originated in Asia.

Looks like a yellow magic marker hit this shrub border!

Forsythia is the more familiar plant and every old roadside farmhouse had a Forsythia shrub or two. This is probably why any yellow Spring blooming shrub is referred to as Forsythia. It's very common in Virginia and many consider it a pest because it's a non-native, fairly aggressive rooting shrub. It's probably the most dastardly hacked shrub known to man! How many bad Forsythia hair jobs have we all seen! DON'T SHAPE UP THE FORSYTHIA. A random shortening of extra long branches is often warranted, but DON'T SHAPE THE FORSYTHIA!

Clump of Forsythia near my garden gate.

For these reasons I've never thought about planting Forsythia but it's interesting that I ended up buying a home with a view of Forsythia from every single window and door in the house! I've grown to appreciate the ability of big clumps to provide shelter for birds, deer, and foxes and of course the Spring cheer that it brings. I wanted to name my property and business after a plant and Forsythia Hill was a perfect fit.

Small and cheery, Winter Jasmine bloom.

Winter Jasmine is a more difficult shrub to acquire as it's not as common. It took me 10 years to track down a free start of this shrub. I've not looked very hard, but one came to me at a plant swap last Spring. I was thrilled to finally have this shrub. It too is fairly aggressive but if planted in the right spot allowed to do its thing, it can make quite a splash. It also is a non-native and should be planted with care. I would like to think my gardening acquisitions would be limited to only natives but I've not been able to control myself. Even natives can be aggressive so care should be given for any planting decision. There is a good FB page that identifies invasive plants which is very informative and there are some horribly destructive plants that we each should never plant.

Forsythia shrub bud when in full bloom. 

There are several ways to determine the difference between these similar Spring blooming plants. The first is bloom time. It's very slight and can overlap but the Winter Jasmine will begin blooming before any other Spring plant. Possibly crocus will peep up at the same moment, but it will show color while everything is gray and asleep. Winter Jasmine is also typically a shorter (2' - 3' tall) arching shrub. Forsythia is straighter and taller. Stems eventually arc over and root but the standard Forsythia is much taller (5 - 6'). There are shorter dwarf Forsythia shrubs which cause extra identification difficulty. Forsythia also has been bred in a white form but is quite uncommon.

Forsythia bud, just before it begins to open

The blooms on the plants are also quite different if you look closeup. In general the Forsythia has a longer tighter pointed petal bloom and the Winter Jasmine has a flat faced rounded petal tip bloom. Of course things become more complicated depending upon where you live and the variety. But I hope these few general differences will help you better identify these common Spring blooming plants.

For local identification in Charlottesville Virginia, there are appropriate uses of Winter Jasmine on Earlysville Rd. near Ivy Creek Nature Center and downtown on McIntire Rd. under the overpass. It's mid-March and the Winter Jasmine is fading and the Forsythia is showing a nice bit of color.

Happy SPRING!

~Rebecca 

Spring Flowers and Nature in Charlottesville Virginia

The first flower to bloom, Winter Aconite

It's going to be another early Spring in Charlottesville, Virginia. I recall such a Spring about 5 years ago. I didn't care for it much because EVERYTHING bloomed all at once! I prefer the gradual blooming that typically occurs. We may have one problem though, it looks like by the end of the week, temperatures may dip below 30 degrees! NOT GOOD for the thousands of Daffodils that are in bloom and budding in my yard on Forsythia Hill.

The first daffodil to bloom in my yard on Forsythia Hill

Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to live in such a beautiful State and experience such a glorious Spring. It's year number 8 for us in Cville and several areas in the yard that we have "landscaped" are starting to form. The 2 new Forsythia shrub patches are coming along quite nicely. One has formed a clump as intended, the other has another 3 years to form the long serpentine hedge as planned. We now have 4 forsythia patches in our yard plus an additional outcropping along the property line that belongs to a neighbor (that I begged to not bulldoze - so far so good). Our neighbor across the street bulldozed their huge patch (I guess they didn't like yellow). "sigh".

Fat Bluebird ready to find a mate.

We had one big patch to the right of our house and we installed the serpentine patch to the left of the house and it now looks quite balanced. It's becoming a riot of color in the Spring with my neighbors strip of mammoth white Bradford Pear trees and my blinding yellow Forsythia and splashes of thousands of Daffodils. I wonder what my neighbors must say as they drive by -- "Wilbur, hand me my sunglasses - PLEASE" or just "Please make it stop"! I do love the shock value of such plantings.

Little miniature white and yellow Daffodils

Up next will be the Tulips and Iris along with creeping Phlox and other ground covers. I did notice the blue Vinca Vine is blooming. A plant that I tolerate but don't care much for except in the Spring when it blooms. The Naked Lady foliage is looking like water fountain sprays at the moment, a freeze could do them in. Luckily the blooms spring up much later in the season after the leaves have died back.

Once again, Historic Garden Week in Virginia occurs during my Birthday week. I can't wait to snag a catalog and start planning a trip somewhere in the State!

I'm fearless when it comes to transplanting!

HAPPY SPRING 2017.

~ Rebecca

Forsythia

Maple (foreground), Forsythia Hedge in back.

It's that time of year when the Forsythia is in full raging bloom. Shockingly yellow, this plant adds so much color to the Spring landscape. It's a plant that I would probably not seek out to plant but I acquired it when we moved into our house.

Because of all the Forsythia on our property, I named it appropriately Forsythia Hill. I can see Forsythia out of every window in our house!

New little sprinkling (foreground), established (background).

I have started a few new areas of Forsythia to add a backdrop to my shrub border. I'm creating a mass of shrubs beside our driveway to serve as a buffer to street noise and to provide cover for the birds. Various shrubs have been placed in a mass with a hedge row of native Red Cedar behind. Along side is a wavy sprinkling of Forsythia.  Shrubs include, native Viburnum, Dogwood, Crabapple, Clerodendrum, Lilac, Coralberry, and Carycarpis.

Biggest clump, home to the Mockingbird.

I try to incorporate fruiting natives into my landscape every chance I get. Forsythia is not native to the US, the the vast majority of varieties are native to Asia. It does not provide fruit for the birds but it does create a lot of excitement in the Spring. There is always a Mockingbird trying to defend its Forsythia hedge and plenty of wildlife such as a Fox, Frog, or Ratsnake finding cover.

Viburnum blossom

My personal favorite shrub is Viburnum. Currently, I have planted Hobble Bush, Maple-leaf, and Arrowwood varieties but am always looking to incorporate more. It's a wonderful plant providing color, fragrance, and food and cover for wildlife.

My one tip about Forsythia is to keep it natural and do not clip it into a rigid square box hedge. It will destroy the light sprinkling effect and kill the drama and "messy hair day" flow of this wild shrub. Give it lots of room to romp and it will be appreciated, otherwise it can be a nuisance as the ends "root tip" and wander.

A good ex of how to use Forsythia, on a slope in mass.

Yellow is starting to fade and is being replaced by pinks and reds! The pink Dogwood and Maples have been beautiful this year.

Get out and enjoy SPRING! There is so much to see.

-Rebecca 

The Perfect Storm... for Spring

Crocus are always the first to open.

April certainly is being ushered in appropriately, as the saying goes... April Showers bring May Flowers! The recent snow and never ending rain is creating the perfect storm for buds to pop open and plants to FINALLY show off their beauty.

A little mini, always first Daffodil to open.

As plants wax and wane with the seasons, so do I. When Spring blossoms begin to open I have serious cabin fever and when Fall finally arrives I'm exausted from gardening and am ready to hunker down and regenerate. My perennial plants go through the same phases - opening bright and cheery in the Spring and dying withered from standing tall while working hard to expand their roots through long hot Summers. Almost relieved to be taking a rest from all the progress they have made during that one season.

Ted holding just two of hundreds of Dahlia he raises.

When thinking back on past Springs I can help but imagine what this year has to offer. Last year I planted hundreds of Daffodils and several perennials and shrubs from my gardening friend Ted's wonderful garden. New plants give me something to look forward to once they get settled in and start to show off. It typically takes a few seasons for plants to regenerate from being started from seed or transplanted. This is the second season for Naked Ladies, May Queen Daisy, Hibiscus, Sedum, Daylily, and Daffodil. I have a special tree bed where I pop in tree starts, allowing them to grow a few seasons to gain some height so hopefully the Deer won't mow them down to the ground. I've learned that planting a small tree out on Forsythia Hill is near certain death. It's not quite time to plant out any into the yard but it is always fun to watch their growth.

Our Mockingbird on guard in HIS Forsythia Hedge.

Of course I am elated to see the Forsythia in bloom on Forsythia Hill in Charlottesville, Virginia. It passes quickly but it's worth the wait. Looking out today the yellow buds are opening on light brown woody stems.  It's pretty cool to just see a mass of yellow without the green leaves that will soon appear. I can see Forsythia out of every window in the house, hence the name of our property. I even transplanted some several seasons ago creating new patches of Forsythia. You can never have enough! It creates a Secret Garden for nature in our yard. Mockingbirds, snakes, mice, rabbits, foxes and who knows what else is hiding in the Forsythia Hedge!

One Forsythia Hedge in peak bloom last year.

The rain is to be here a few more days and then temperatures are to rise, creating the perfect storm for blossoms all over Charlottesville, Virginia to burst open, eager to put on a new year of growth.

HAPPY SPRING. Get out and explore!

-Rebecca

Too neat to eat

Too neat to eat.

The Voices for Animals coordinated 16th Annual Cville Vegetarian Festival is this coming weekend, September 29, 11 am - 5 pm.  Over 6,000 people attend this festival located in Lee Park in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia.

Activities have been expanded this year to include lots of music and cooking demos held nearby at The Haven.  Several interesting speakers are booked this year that can enlighten and encourage your journey with vegetarianism.

My little laying hen to be with me until natural death.

Ninety vendors have signed on and applications are still being accepted.  It sounds like a really good event this year!

-Rebecca

DIY Reclaimed Material Storage Cabinet

We've been dragging around these huge heavy shutters for years now.  Storing them in our shed and even moving them from SW Virginia to Central Virginia.  I knew that one day we would find the perfect project for them.  Our neighbor had taken them off his parents house and of course we took them off his hands.

Gear eating up our patio.

We had a lean-to Greenhouse on our old home where I stored all my gardening pots and gear.  When we moved there was no place for my stash and the pile was getting out of control so my smart husband decided to finally put those 70 year old + shutters to good use.

 

I just love my new cabinet to keep things tidy and out of sight.  I still have a little tidying up to do but it is much improved.  This was a 2 day project that used up 100% scrap wood and screws that we had on hand. 

-Rebecca

What's a Girl To Do

FRIDAY - June 8

9 PM - 11 PM - FREE - Look3 - Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph.  20 artists will showcase new and exciting work in a huge projection at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion.

Go early and check out the beautiful photography installments in and around the Downtown Mall.

SATURDAY - June 9

9 AM - Noon - $5.00 - The wonderful Piedmont Master Gardeners seasonal series, Through the Garden Gate is in Ivy.  A woodland garden tour.   Occurring the 2nd Saturday of the month from 9 - noon, hosted at a different garden each month. Hands down, this is my favorite Charlottesville area annual garden tour event. 

All day - Various loctions - FREE - Last day of the Charlottesville Festival of the Photograph, Look3 but many gallery installments will remain until later. 

Seeing Yellow

This small cup Daffodil opened first on Forsythia Hill.

It's a blaze of yellow on Forsythia Hill this time of year.  The yellow Crocus arrived first then secondly my Grandmother's lovely antique large cup Daffodil.  Now the absolutely shocking yellow Forsythia is in clear view out every window in my house!  Hence the name, Forsythia Hill.  I just transplanted stray 10 Forsythia shrubs yesterday and today I spotted another possible transplant location!  We have those hideous electrical boxes on entry up our driveway.  I've never quite decided how to mask them.  I have some stray Althea shrubs that need a new home.  I think a few of them along with some Forsythia might make a good screen.  I was told by the electrical man that as long as I planted to the side and front I would not interfere with the box.

Forsythia was named after William Forsyth, who started the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.  A member of the olive family, it was discovered growing in China in 1842 by Scottish Botanist, Robert Fortune when he was sent there to bring back plants by the Society.  Another species of Forsythia had already been growing in Europe since 1833 but was labeled as a Lilac.

The way you prune Forsythia - YOU DON'T

Often mentioned as a hiding spot for the dancing Fairy or even a sly Fox (in my yard) the Forsythia hedge grows with abandon having few limits.  The tiny Forsythia fruit from the Weeping Forsythia suspensa was recorded as being used in China beginning in 100 A.D. as a medicinal along with Lonicera to cure heat related diseases and remove toxins (fever, goiter, sores, abscesses, swollen lymph glands, flus, etc). 

Personally, Forsythia reminds me of the past and I always envision it as situated, overgrown, beside an old farm house in a field.  On Forsythia Hill it welcomes in Spring and cheers me to view it out every window.  I've not yet discovered a Fairy but as a young girl, I looked and looked for them under the old Forsythia shrub. 

The main Spring activity around our back Forsythia hedge is the Mockingbird territory wars. Often three or more Mockingbirds zooming around and around in and out and over the Forsythia hedge - battling for the supreme nesting spot.  I'm not sure if the same bird wins each year but it appears the returning bird puts up a most ferocious fight.  One evening I was walking my dog through the yard when a beautiful Red Fox popped out from under the Forsythia shrub.  It was an incredible sight but I felt as if he was sniffing around for my Hen House!  A two door night lockup system will hopefully keep them safe.

A pruned yellow neon highlighter line of Forsythia in a field - UCK

Forsythia certainly provides cover for wildlife and nesting for the birds.  It's a valuable shrub with a long history.  Can there be too much Forsythia planted?  Well yes, it can look horrible when attempts are made to control it by pruning.  I shudder when I see lollipop Forsythia or even worse is the manicured short clipped boxed version.  If you grow Forsythia, plant it in a spot when it can naturally roam and spread without much attention.  Up against the house is asking for trouble, or next to almost anything is a bad idea and planting just one bush usually looks kinda weird (a neon glob of yellow).  An expansive hedge is best and it will form this all on its own given time.  Annually, I dig up the roaming sprouts each year and cut back a few of the really tall spikes but not much else is required.  Once you have Forsythia, you will always have it!

-Rebecca

Spring Gardening DEAL

Now that is a Cock-a-Doodle-Deal

Great deal right now.  I just printed my gift certificate!  What gardener wouldn't buy $40.00 of gardening goods for $20.00 --- check this deal out!  Good at Snow's in Charlottesville, VA.

Dividing Perennials

I'm always amazed at how quickly Spring ends and the heat of the Summer takes over.  I've been dividing bulbs and perennials for 2 weeks now and they are all growing and are in good shape.  It gets so hot here in Central Virginia in the Summer that dividing and planting anything is risky.  I've burned up many a plant and tree by not providing enough water and baking plants to death in the hot sun. 

If you can see it sprouting then go ahead and move it or divide.  Your chances of getting good moisture increase during May showers and decrease as June approaches.

Actually I prefer to transplant bulbs when they are in bloom.  I know that sounds crazy but I can see the bloom and the location of most bulbs and perennials so I won't accidentally dig up something.  Carefully relocating keeps the bloom intact without any problems.  Dividing is another matter.  There is greater risk of harming the bloom if you need to rip apart bulbs and this is better done after bloom or in the fall.

-Rebecca

Seed Deals

It's that time of year again to plan your vegetable garden or grow a few flowers!  It's quite difficult to not notice all the colorful seed packets that have once again appeared at your local hardware or home improvement store.

I discovered a few good seed deals this week.  Walgreen's has 5 packets of American Seed for $1.00.  You can't go wrong with that.  I purchased Zucchini, Chives, Zinnia, Radish, and Cilantro.  I also stopped in Kmart to find some Vermiculite (which they didn't have) and noticed 40% off all NK Seeds.  They have a bizillion varieties.  Lots of herbs, wildflower mixes and more unusual varieties.  It's all I can do to not buy more seed.  I have a big stash from the Monticello Fall Harvest seed exchange.  I have plenty - MAKE ME STOP.  I have to really rein it in.  There is no way I can manage all these plants!

I'm an addict.

Bad Chicken !

Happy Spring - apparently it is HERE... 70 degrees today.  Off to try and stop my Little Moltie (the roaming chicken) from digging up my front flower bed!!!!  At least I have replacement seed on hand.

-Rebecca

Dump Finds / Cabinet Makeover

Discarded mod collage table at the Encore Shop

Last week I took a trip out to our capped landfill.  While there I always check out the cool "last chance" store.  Formally known as the Encore Shop at the Ivy Materials Utilization Center.  It can be very hit or miss.  But sometimes I just get lucky and hit it right.

A sea of lawn mowers at the Encore Shop

You never know what you will find there - usually not much - but sometimes good "slightly worn" but salvageable items. 

This last trip I found a great retro yellow filing cabinet, two wonderful antique concrete planters, a pair of shutters, a huge mailbox in great shape, and a little record stand from the 60's.  Unbelievably, it all cost me $30.00.  I've seen the concrete planters over $30.00 each!  I spent several days working on freshing up the Record Stand.

Every now and then I get a creative burst of energy so here is my refinishing job of the record stand or should I say "our"... my husband did all the detailed parts.




-Rebecca

Save the UVA Rotunda Magnolias

It is estimated that for 100 years eight Southern Magnolia have flanked the 1826 UVA Rotunda that originally housed the campus library.  Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda is the pride of the University and has been undergoing renovation for years and will continue to be hammered upon for years to come.  Part of Jefferson's original Academical Village included lovely garden spaces.  The Magnolias were planted well after Jefferson's death (he would be nearly 270 years old if still alive today) and were not part of his original plan (he designed the hard scape and intended the Pavilion residents to design and maintain their own landscapes).  Aside from that, the local trend when it comes to Jefferson tends to be a complete restoration of his vision and that includes his plantings.  Given that Thomas Jefferson was a man of reason, constant invention, and change, I do not believe that he would expect the garden plantings to not be altered over a 200 year period!

The Board of Visitors has decided that the Magnolias must go because scaffolding must be erected (here we go again) to replace the roof.  Work on the Rotunda seems to be a constant theme, the interior was restored in 1976 and the columns have been falling apart for years and have finally been covered with boots to protect what remains. 

Students have created an online petition to save the trees.  I was absolutely thrilled to see that students are interested in campaigning to save trees!  I felt helpless when I read the news of the trees, as if campus can do whatever they want and is above any citizen outcry.  A student revolt is a totally different beast and should not be taken lightly.  Unlike the Obama appointed Super Committee failed attempt at compromise, I hope the Board of Visitors will listen to the students and alter their original plan so no one will chain themselves to a grand Magnolia (boy have I been tempted in the past to do just that).

Seems a little shaping up is in order

I visited the Rotunda two days ago to see for myself the positioning and size of the trees.  The Board of Visitors was quoted as saying the trees had to go because of scaffolding, which is ridiculous.  If the roofers can't erect scaffolding without harming the trees they need to go back to scaffolding 101 school.  Another often used excuse when cutting down older trees is that they have reached the end of their expected life.  Bah humbug.  There is something to be said for light cast inside the Rotunda.  Also mentioned is that the trees are massive and they might damage the Rotunda in a storm.  Anything is possible but historically it appears that the only damage incurred during a storm was to two of the eight Magnolia, not to the Rotunda (the most pressing damage it seems to me for the Rotunda is pollution from cars and coal).  The Magnolias are not even as tall as the Rotunda dome and are in desperate need of pruning.  I was a bit taken aback at the lack of pruning,, especially on the sides.  Given the structure is so large, the Magnolia actually flank the Rotunda quite nicely.  There is one particular Magnolia that is a lovely specimen and there is no reason to remove it.  It easily can be pruned to not overhang a walkway and is not directly beside the Rotunda.

 

Ground level with the magnificent Magnolia

Living among the trees for 20 years in my family home, I shudder at the thought of any tree being cut down.  One of my grandmothers favorite trees was her beloved Southern Magnolia and also on the "park like" property is an assortment of 75 year old trees; Maples, Chestnuts, Apples, Catalpa, Walnut, and Holly.  When we first moved into our family home there were two HUGE yews that I absolutely loved but they were literally growing into the house.  They were planted 2' from the house and were twice as tall as the house! After 10 years, I finally got the courage to cut down the trees when my mother told me that my Grandmother had said, those trees were planted way to close to the house and that she always regretted that decision.  Last year my mother had a 150' leaning Blue Spruce cut down that was also planted way too close to the house.  Both decisions were horrifying to make but were the correct ones.  The house was being gobbled up by the trees so much that you could not see it and the roof was being horribly damaged.  On the flip side, I watched my idiot neighbors hire jack legs to cut down 20 hardwood trees that were NOT up against their house.  I cried watching the destruction and hearing the chain saws for months on end.  I begged them to not do this but they continued (having some drop on our fence).  Our home place has just been sold and I have no desire to go back and possibly see the destruction of the majestic trees on the property for reasons such as... oh I don't like leaves, or we need to let more sun in, or that tree is so messy, or that tree is OLD.

So grand it would bring TJ to tears

Online it has been suggested that the Magnolias be relocated to another site on campus. When I headed to campus the other day, I was ready to battle to save the Magnolias.   I still am but my view has changed.   If judicious pruning doesn't improve the situation and you must remove then instead relocate, keep one where it stands, and make commemorative bowls out of the two storm injured trees (apparently "the thing" to do with felled TJ trees).

The main point in all this is that people young and old care about the nature that abounds on campus and don't want to see it destroyed just because it is convenient to do so.

2013 UPDATE:  The Magnolia are still standing as a consequence of the protests by students!  2021 UPDATE: Magnolia's were axed.

-Rebecca

Artisan Studio Tour Trek

The Barn Swallow

This past Saturday during the annual Artisan Studio Tour held in the Charlottesville area, we visited six studios in Nelson County.

We started our tour near Crozet at The Barn Swallow, a retail store that features many unique artisans.  Decorated for the holidays, it is always charming this time of year. 

  Gerald Boggs at Wayfarer Forge

Next stop was Wayfarer Forge Ironworks where we were greeted by 44 chickens!   Inside the studio Gerald Boggs was showing a crowd how to heat and bend iron into lovely works of art and outside I was enjoying the variety of colorful chickens. 

During our trek we stopped at an antique store on Afton Mountain and at Basic Necessities eclectic eatery in Nellysford.

Tonya Tyree Sculpture

My favorite studio along the winding road from Afton to Nellysford was the gallery of 2 Art Studios featuring works of Melinko Katic' and Tanya Tyree.  I was amazed at Melinko's horse paintings and Tanya's ceramic objects were so detailed and unique.  Tanya's mom's Frosted Oatmeal Cookies were the icing on the cake - YUM!

Making our way to our final stop, Cindy spotted a poor little goat stuck in a fence!  His horns were so long he managed to get his head in and not back out (why does that happen?)  After some serious bending of fencing and many shots with my camera, the goat rescue was a success. 

Off to Nan Rothwell's Studio tucked away in an absolutely lovely wooded setting.  Nan teaches pottery classes and is an expert at throwing and baking salt-glazed and stoneware pottery.

Our last stop was at a relatively new vintage shop,  Bittersweet Branch Primitives off 29 S.  We really enjoyed her selection of wicker furniture and collectibles.



It was a perfect day to drive in the country enjoying great food, lovely scenery, and wonderful artisans!

-Rebecca