Shrubs and Flowers As Winter Whispers

  • Post published:11/14/2022
  • Post comments:4 Comments
Fothergilla

Autumn means falling leaves, but there are some shrubs like Fothergilla that show brilliant faces before there is heavy frost. It truly is glorious when the late afternoon sun is shining on the leaves. This particular plant is Fothergilla major which is Fothergilla large, between 6-12 feet.  But there is more to  Fothergilla than a brilliant color.

Fothergilla

In the spring Fothergilla has interesting white blossoms. This photo was taken on The Bridge of Flowers, but it is equally beautiful in my garden in the spring when there is lots of sun.  This plant does not mind damp/wet soil. It is one of the reasons we chose this plant. You all know how wet our garden is.

Itea – Henry’s Garnet

This shrub is properly called Itea virginica or Virginia sweetspire. I chose it for a different reason – my husband’s name is Henry. Of course it has many other good reasons. It doesn’t mind water and it has wonderful white flowers in the spring.  In fact those white flowers are often called Tassel White ‘Henry’s Garnet’.

Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac

Rhus aromatica is a low growing sumac that is perfect as a groundcover underneath our Yellow twig dogwood. We have a bird bath  between the sumac and the branches of the yellow twig.  The sumac does not need really good soil and it does tolerate the wet soil after a long rain. I was not expecting the shade of red that appears in the fall. And it really is beautiful late in the afternoon.  I love this plant.

Sheffies in the leaves

These Sheffield daisies, often called Sheffies, is a  wonderful flower. I love it because the flowers do not bloom until the first of September. This year we got a shock because it did not bloom until a week into October! There are not many flowers at this season, and this this the only flower still blooming in my garden.

The bees are still working at collecting honey, and the Sheffies were happy to oblige. Note the little golden pollen baskets on the honeybee’s legs.

Bumblebee on Sheffie

This bumblebee is not interested in the pollen. At least, not right now. Bumblebees fall asleep when the weather gets too cold. And it got colder later that day.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Beth@PlantPostings

    Beautiful to see the plants in different seasons. Winter is on the way here…

  2. ML G

    I love both of these plants. I planted three of the Little Henry Sweetspire this year. My grandson is Henry. It is such a wonderful plant.

  3. Pat

    These are lovable plants – and I think your grandson Henry will love a shrub named after him.

  4. Pat

    Beth – Winter almost feels like it has arrived with lots of frost this morning. Amazingly Henry’s Garnet still has some colorful foliage.

Leave a Reply