Fairytrail Bride Cascade hydrangea
Maxing out at only 4 feet tall and wide, this shrub can be used in nearly any size space —even in a pot.
IT’S HARD TO BEAT THE SPECTACULAR FLOWER SHOWS OF GRANDMA’S FORSYTHIA, WEIGELA AND OTHER OLD-FASHIONED SHRUBS.
Fast-growing, long-living and tough as nails, they’re generally untroubled by insects, disease or even deer. There’s just one problem: They’re too big for today’s gardens! Most reach 8 to 10 feet tall and wide, making them fantastic solo specimens in a landscape or as a hedge but oversized for most beds or pots.
This is where plant breeders come to the rescue. Thanks to their work, you can enjoy downsized versions—half-size or even smaller. New varieties also offer longer bloom periods, reblooming or colored foliage that appeals from spring to fall. “A big part of my job is just keeping up on what those plant breeders are up to!” says Georgia Clay, a new plants manager for Monrovia. “We trial and evaluate thousands of varieties from all over the world and bring to market only the very best performers.”
“We want to introduce plants that growers and gardeners ask for,” adds Natalie Carmolli, an advertising and public relations specialist for Proven Winners. “We work with independent breeders across the country and abroad, and with our inhouse breeders to create plants. From breeding to introduction, the entire process can take up to 10 years.”
So give a nod to Grandma, thank the behind-the-scenes breeders and try a few new varieties in your own garden. All of these options thrive in Zones 5 to 8 or 9.
FORSYTHIA
Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin August/September 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Birds & Blooms dergisinin August/September 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Food-Focused and Fierce - Meet Canada jays and learn why they eat almost anything they can find
Even if you haven't heard of Canada jays, you've heard of their relatives. Members of the corvid family, they belong to the same group as American crows, blackbilled magpies, and jays including blue, Steller's and scrub. "Unlike many of the other jays, a Canada jay doesn't have a crest of any kind; it just has a rounded head," says Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River.In 2018, the Canada jay's name was changed from gray jay, but Dale thinks the former adjective was fitting. "Most of its body is shades of gray with some white," he says. "There are different subspecies that have different physical traits, but most of them have some lighter coloring on their foreheads, upper breasts and throats, each with a darker streak that starts at each eye and goes back."
IN GOOD COMPANY
BIRDS OF A FEATHER MAY FLOCK TOGETHER, but what about other collectives of critters-and what do you call them when they do?
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