Beautiful weather calls for shrubs

A quick trip to Home Hardware for some mushroom compost netted a new shrub - Viburnum trilobal, also known as American highbush cranberry. I didn't know that cranberries were viburnums, the things one comes to know when learning a new subject. Cranberries used to grow wild and cultivated in Nova Scotia; they seemed to thrive in the maritime climate and sea air.

I figured I should get as many shrubs into the garden as possible, since they form the bones of the whole endeavour. Flowering perennials and annuals can come later, but the shrubs need to get started if I want to see them get to any size within the next couple of years.

This is just tiny now, hopefully this location will be good for it. Viburnum can grow in any type of location from what I have read, but they do better in full sun. I was going to put it in the front yard on the perimeter between two birches, but then thought that it would be nice to see the flowers and berries in the back yard. And the fact that it will attract birds in the fall and winter is a great feature of this shrub.

So I have put it close to the black-eye susans; this spot gets full morning sun and filtered afternoon sun, then another hour of full sun at the close of the day. I was inspired to put it with the black-eye susans from this picture of Amy's magnificent garden.

Amy blogs at http://www.amyscreativepursuits.com
She has one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen. And the fact that she lives in Wisconsin with a climate similar to ours here gives me hope that I can grow flowers like she does.

In reading about viburnums, I realised that these include the snowball bush that I recall from my childhood, a shrub that I never liked. But then I read that some species have the lacecap type flowers similar to climbing hydrangeas. This is my favourite flower at present and has been for a number of years, since I discovered them in Nova Scotia (where they thrive).

This is an image of the lace-cap type flower of viburnum - almost identical to climbing hydrangea. I think they are the most delicate flowers, they really do resemble fine lace. I hope that this viburnum that I planted will have this type of flower, but if it doesn't, I can adjust for sure. And the red berries will be delightful.