Saturday, April 29, 2017

Viburnum Standard

In the right background of this picture you can see this enormous Doublefile Viburnum that I bought 16 years ago as P.T. Pink Beauty Viburnum. There is nothing pink about this shrub. Don't let that tricolor Beech tree in the fore ground fool you. The viburnum has these elegant limbs spread in layers with beautiful white doublefile blooms on it every spring. A gorgeous plant no doubt. 
As it has aged it is putting out new plants all around the mother plant. As I walked by a couple of years ago I noticed that the stems of one of these plants was straight up peeking above one of the mother stems. 
I says to myself, 'this would make a really nice standard plant with that straight stem'. So I dug it up and put it into a nice big pot. I trimmed back the stems and waited.
The next year it had started filling in fairly well.  No blooms of course but it was filling in.
Through out last summer and this past winter it was blown over several times. Poor thing. I tried putting rocks on top of the soil to give it more heft. I finally took mercy on it and transferred it into a heavier pot. So far with all these spring days with ferocious big blows it has stayed upright.
I believe that in thanks for this upgrade it bloomed beautifully through Easter this year. 
I feel like it is quite the success. I hope it lives long in its new pot. I intend to treat it like a bonsai in that I will trim the roots to keep it in this pot. It is now beginning to set fruit on these little short stems. I hope to see the birds that come to eat those berries this fall.  
The Mother plant is tucked back almost into a corner of the garden where I can't view it closely so this will  give me the opportunity for close surveillance. 
When I look at this with a critical eye I realize that this shrub isn't the best for trying to make into a ball since it's natural form is to have tiered limbs. But the blooms and the naturally straight trunk sold me. 
I have another standard I made with a honeysuckle. I think I have shown you that one before. I can't help myself. I think it is such fun to have these beauties. Maybe I will end up with a lollipop walk. 
How about you? Do you have any standards in your garden?  Do you make your own or purchase them, such as those beautiful rose standards. I don't grow roses very well so I doubt I will try one of those but I will be looking at all the shrubs in the garden to see if there might be another candidate for a standard.



17 comments:

  1. Wow--you are ahead of us. I love Viburnums! We have one back in the woods that I need to photograph in a few weeks when it's blooming. It's kind of a shame that it's slightly hidden from view by other trees and shrubs. Congrats on your success with your standard--it looks great! No, I don't have any standard shrub/trees, although the Redbud kind of has that shape.

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  2. That is amazing! We had a big doublefile Viburnum that died a few winters ago. It is supposed to be hardy here but it just croaked with such intense cold. They get so big if they are happy that they are not easy to site in the garden.

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    1. It doesn't usually get as cold here at least for as long as it does in your area. It is also in sort of a protected area near the yard barn.

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  3. Lovely floral and garden photos ~ sure looks like Spring there ~ thanks,

    Happy Week to you ~ ^_^

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  4. A lovely shrub. Your idea was definitely a success.

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  5. I've never attempted anything like this; I'm always afraid I'll kill something. Your viburnum looks lovely!

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    1. I have killed so many plants with kindness and experimentation that I don't even think about that any more. I just plant on and hope for the best.

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  6. I am SO NOT a garden-type person! However, I DO love beautiful plants, and yours are definitely beautiful. I have no idea what a "standard" is, but your repotted plant is gorgeous.

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    1. Thank you Beth. I feel the same way about your quilts and embroidery. I admire it so even though I have nothing of the fabric/textile artist in me.

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  7. Lisa girl well done you !
    It is beautiful and to create it yourself has got to be satisfying!
    I bought a hydrangea standard last year and I am excited about how it will do .. the problem is I want to transplant it to the front garden so I am a little scared how it will react ... but fingers crossed.
    I would love to make a standard out of my willow shrub .. so I might just try it now that I have seen your work with the viburnum!
    Love it !
    Joy : )
    PS your garden is looking great .. we are in rain mode here so hard to do anything .. but make plans ? LOL

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    1. Joy, I hope you try to make your willow shrub into a standard. It is fairly easy if you have a straight limb to begin with. Good luck.

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  8. Wow...that potted tree is fluorishing!! So beautiful.

    When I was a kid I used to love the nectar inside the honeysuckle flowers.

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    1. Thanks Jessica. I too liked to sip the nectar of the honeysuckle flowers when I was a kid. Heck I still do occasionally just for old times sake. Usually I leave it for the birds and bees.

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  9. I had one viburnam in the country, and now I have 2 viburnams in town, but I never considered making it a standard. Yours is just beautiful. I do not have any standards actually, partly because I am such a bad pruner and flee from pruning challenges, but this is an inspiring thought.

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