Most of you know last fall we planted seedlings up and down one of our property lines. None of the mangolia trees survived the winter. All but 4 of the flowering trees/shrubs planted on the actual line are still living. Some of them aren't tolerating this heat very well (the tops have died back several times) but they're still with us. One of the shrubs has suddenly decided it can overcome the deer and birds and has started thriving. It makes me happy to see this long shoot of green leaves. These photos below are what our shrubs resemble (ours aren't as full as the top but have more height and shoots than the bottom):
And then one evening as we're feeding animals and checking on things, my husband asks me what these plants are. I couldn't remember, but had saved the packaging slip and labeled on the paper what I planted where.
It's been almost a year since I researched all the plants and their coloring and height and width and all that jazz. I'm not a plant guru, so I decided to check out the web and see what it had to say about the forsythia. (I think we have 6 of them.)
It's more commonly known as the yellow goldenrod, or yellowbells. I remember as a child thinking they were one of the prettiest bushes in our yard.
So imagine my surprise when after telling Bobby this wonderful news on the way to church he starts laughing and shakes his head. "Switch bushes. Of all the things to plant in our yard, you go and order switch bushes. And we don't even have kids. Just wait 'til Tim (his brother who brings his grandsons over to run crazy) finds out. He'll run over them with the LandRover."
I know when we moved to town, my mother sent one of my sisters outside for a switch. There was one of these bushes between us and the neighbor, though there were a lot of other plants growing across the alley as well. My sis came back in with a honeysuckle vine. She informed mother to take something from the neighbor's bush would be "stealing" and that was all she could find. I do remember Mom laughing, but I don't think that got her out of her punishment.
I had no idea these were "switch bushes" when I ordered them, I just knew they'd fit into the spaces between the trees and would be pretty in bloom. I don't see us selling our place, but if we ever do, maybe the next owner will have children and can find an actual use (other than decorative) for shrubs.
It's been almost a year since I researched all the plants and their coloring and height and width and all that jazz. I'm not a plant guru, so I decided to check out the web and see what it had to say about the forsythia. (I think we have 6 of them.)
It's more commonly known as the yellow goldenrod, or yellowbells. I remember as a child thinking they were one of the prettiest bushes in our yard.
I know when we moved to town, my mother sent one of my sisters outside for a switch. There was one of these bushes between us and the neighbor, though there were a lot of other plants growing across the alley as well. My sis came back in with a honeysuckle vine. She informed mother to take something from the neighbor's bush would be "stealing" and that was all she could find. I do remember Mom laughing, but I don't think that got her out of her punishment.
I had no idea these were "switch bushes" when I ordered them, I just knew they'd fit into the spaces between the trees and would be pretty in bloom. I don't see us selling our place, but if we ever do, maybe the next owner will have children and can find an actual use (other than decorative) for shrubs.
Comments