tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post5259654938726637183..comments2021-01-07T01:22:29.026-05:00Comments on My Hingham Gardens: My love-hate relationship with Pieris japonicaCindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18016246444448339816noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-40925840805526881172011-11-15T11:39:15.843-05:002011-11-15T11:39:15.843-05:00Thank you Ann! That's so funny about your oli...Thank you Ann! That's so funny about your olive tree. I feel the same about Siberian iris. I have a ton in my gardens and they are on their way out. I love them when they are in bloom for that brief period in June, but I hate the mess they leave and all the space they take up in my very small gardens. I think I'll take your lead and rip them out! Any takers??Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18016246444448339816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-29586727978101437732011-11-15T09:12:15.061-05:002011-11-15T09:12:15.061-05:00Well, if your exam is an essay exam, you will ace ...Well, if your exam is an essay exam, you will ace it! I understand that love/hate relationship with plants. For me here at the Garden Spot it is a Russian Olive tree right at the edge of the patio. It is dirty, dropping blossoms in the spring, olives in the summer, leaves in the fall. It does provide shade for the patio, sweet fragrance, a place for the birds to find bugs, but it still annoys me. With our first heavy storm this fall it has been badly damaged, so it has lost to battle to be here. It will go in the spring. It should never have been allowed to sprout where it did. Sorry tree.annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01668006270534204954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-32476817964227180222011-11-14T16:33:48.698-05:002011-11-14T16:33:48.698-05:00Beth, I just looked at some images of those cultiv...Beth, I just looked at some images of those cultivars, and I also love 'Flaming Silver'! And that variegated foliage is a big bonus -- I don't always love variegated leaves, but on this Pieris, it looks wonderful! Thank you for the recommendations -- I plan on using them all in designs when I can. So they prune the common ones into cubes, huh? hmmmmm...that must look interesting?!Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18016246444448339816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-59727965042421770852011-11-14T15:07:04.504-05:002011-11-14T15:07:04.504-05:00I, too have a love/hate relationship with Pieris j...I, too have a love/hate relationship with Pieris japonica. We use it a lot here in the Pacific Northwest I think because it's come to be an accepted standard housing/commercial development contractor plant. It grows well in our climate, and here, too, it does best with protection from the west sun. So because it's rather ubiquitous here, I'm not that fond of it.<br /><br />But I've discovered a few interesting cultivars that I use often in my own landscape designs mainly because they are smaller, and variegated. They are: 'Flaming Silver'- about 6'tall x 6'wide; 'Bisbee's Dwarf'- about 4'x 3'; 'Little Heath'- about 18"x 24". <br /><br />Flaming Silver is particularly wonderful because in spring the new foliage is really bright magenta. I think this new foliar growth is much more beautiful than the flowers!<br /><br />Most of the more common Pieris japonicas get quite large here… 8-10' tall and wide is not unheard of, so they are usually pruned into orbs or cubes around here… ugh. So because this shrub really looks it's best with minimal pruning, I like the above cultivars because they fit so nicely into many smaller landscape situations, looking more natural, and creating less work for the gardener. What's not to LOVE about that?! :-)Beth Goodnighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13172714083606989954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-51101059291647363202011-11-14T13:15:46.160-05:002011-11-14T13:15:46.160-05:00Hi Daricia,
I'd love to see your 'mountain...Hi Daricia,<br />I'd love to see your 'mountain fire' in bloom -- can you send me or post a picture? Also, are you going to the blogger event in Asheville in May?Cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18016246444448339816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938779422400020814.post-65201362351963943402011-11-14T12:40:13.049-05:002011-11-14T12:40:13.049-05:00i love pieris! but it really isn't that commo...i love pieris! but it really isn't that common in my part of nc. it would probably like cooler weather than we have. there are lots of different cultivars, though, and some do nicely here. i have 'mountain fire' which blooms reliably and has the bright red new leaves in spring. pretty. i hope you do well on your test!Dariciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03139602899939762309noreply@blogger.com