Another acquisition...

O.K., so what do you think? Pretty wild, huh? I saw this Variegated False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki') at Southern States a couple of days ago and was intrigued. But I didn't buy it. I was "good" and went home and did my research first. Then I bought it today.




It should grow in my (evil) clay soil. And it is supposed to grow slowly so I might grow it in a container for awhile. (Read: "I don't know where to plant it yet.") It will to produce white flowers, just not many of them. The thing is, and this is what convinced me to buy it, the flowers are fragrant. And I love fragrant flowers.



Yep, those leaves are pretty prickly. And it can get to be a fairly large shrub. However, I am confident that my pruning abilities will keep it at bay.



The new growth is rather colorful, isn't it? And after the blooms, there are black berries for the birds. Even with all these other pluses, it's the mature foliage that I find most interesting.


Have a beautiful day!

Abelia...

My Abelia 'Edward Goucher' has started blooming. The flowers aren't lush and gorgeous the same way Hydrangeas are, but I think it has very charming little flowers. And bees like to visit them, too.




I like the lacy-ness, if you can call it that, of its leaves and branches, although they can tend to get jumbled as the bush grows larger. I also like the colors within the bush.




Several years ago, I planted two bushes, one on either side of the walk that leads to the back door. (The back door seems to be the front door around here.) They grew well and they bloomed well. But they didn't quite work for what I wanted in the beds.




I did like the bushes, though, so last fall I transplanted them further back in the garden where they will make a good back-drop as they grow larger. And now they are blooming.


Have a beautiful day!