Mediterranean early summer display enthrals Gareth Winter
The alternating warm and cold spells have been a challenge for the garden this week. One day the weather is breezy and mild, and the clump of dwarf golden daffodils near the garage has been glorious -- over 40 flowers, making a demure, but giant splash among the drab greenery.
Down in the back garden the first flowers on Magnolia "Sweetheart" have just popped out of the furry buds, a tantalising hint of the glory that will follow in the next few weeks.
Then a spell of cold southerlies arrives, bearing snow flurries, followed by the hardest frost of the winter, and the daffodils have hung their heads to the ground and the Magnolia flowers are an ugly mush. Thankfully, the daffodils will perk up again once the sun hits them, and the Magnolia has plenty more buds on it.
A few shrubs seem to cope with whatever winter throws at them here, including the pretty Viburnum laurustinus "Eve Price", yet another of the fabulous plants from the Mediterranean that flourish in New Zealand. We have an "Eve Price" and enjoy its flower heads filled with deep carmine buds from which emerge handsome clusters of white flowers. The flowers open sequentially, so through most of the season you have a combination of buds and flowers. Much later these flowers will turn into blue-black berries -- another pleasant display.
This is a compact form of the type of species which used to be found in many old gardens, probably because it is ultra-tough and will thrive in most conditions. It can easily cope with wind and frost, and will come through extended dry periods just fine, too.
There is something you need to be aware of with Viburnum laurustinus -- it is very prone to thrip infestations over a dry summer, and can look dreadful. The undersides of the leaves will be silvery and coppery coloured, and the tops will lose most of their colour.
The plant seems to act as a holding ground for thrips to attack other susceptible plants such as rhododendrons, so make sure you keep an eye on your plants.
Undoubtedly the most popular is the gloriously scented Viburnum x burkwoodii, in bud or just starting to flower now. It has tight clusters of pure white flowers with a soft fragrance that I have heard described as reminiscent of baby powder. It is perhaps among the top two or three scented shrubs grown in New Zealand, along with daphne and wintersweet.
It is a hybrid raised in Britain, between the evergreen V. utile and the deciduous V. carlesii.
The latter is very fine, growing about 2m high, with delightful pink-budded flowers, opening to white, and scented even better than V. x burkwoodii. It is hardy and, surprisingly, does well near the sea.
Viburnum "Eve Price"
Among my favourite Viburnums is the dwarf growing V. davidii. This Chinese species was discovered by the great plant hunter Ernest Wilson, named after Frere David, another great plant collector, commemorated in many other plants. When our son, David, was born 30-something years ago we planted a couple of these in a narrow border where they flourished.
The chief attraction is the tidy way it grows, plus the strikingly patterned leaves, the deeply veined leaves reminding me of those of a Hosta. We have seen a clump of these in Hamilton, displaying the other great attribute of this plant -- luminous turquoise-blue berries in autumn. Altogether a handsome plant that deserves to be planted more often.
Although it is quite adaptable, it probably does best in sites where it will not dry out too much. I have found this species is also a little prone to thrips in summer, so it would pay to make sure it does not dry out excessively by planting it in moist soils and keeping mulch around the roots.
Another garden that makes great use of Viburnums is Cross Hills at Kimbolton. Although far better known for its rhododendrons, the garden also features plants that flourish in Rangitikei and provide extra interest in the late spring/early summer when rhododendrons are at their best.
Whenever I visit the gardens I am always entranced by V. tomentosum "Mariesii", which carries flattened heads of creamy white flowers in layers on horizontal branches. It looks for all the world like a layered wedding cake humming with bees at its best.
Other varieties, like "Plicatum" have larger, whiter flowers in globose clusters, and there is also a deep pink flushed form with dark new foliage, called "Rosea", which is very pretty in early summer.
