Van Bourgondien

Garden Guide Roses, Shrubs and Vines

Varieties

Maiden Hair Tree

(Gingko biloba) Fan-shaped leaves turn a lovely bright yellow in autumn. Prefers full sun and sandy, moist soil, but will adapt to almost any situation. A very durable, pest-free tree that is tolerant of salt, heat and pollution. Grows 20-50' high and 10-13' wide. Gingko gets better with age, so be patient. It is common for Gingkos to reach 1000 years of age. The oldest Gingko in China is 3500 years old! Provide adequate water and fertilizer. Prune only in spring, if necessary. Hardy in zones 4-8.

Mandevilla

A tender, woody vine for full sun or partial shade. Start indoors in a 6" pot using moist potting soil. Move outside after all danger of frost is gone. Ideal for containers with the use of a trellis. When potted, plants should be fertilized. When planted in the garden, space 3-4' apart. Blooms July until frost and can reach a height of 10-12' when shoots are not directed. Hardy in zones 9-11; elsewhere treat as an annual or cultivate in containers so it can be over wintered indoors.

Maple, Japanese Red

(Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum') This maple can be trained as a single stemmed tree or a multi-stemmed shrub. Reddish-purple leaves turn blazing red in autumn. Usually grows 10'high and wide but can get 25' tall with age. Prefers full sun to partial shade and moist, organic, rich, well drained soil. Prune only to accent natural shape. Hardy in zones 4-9 in a sheltered spot.

Maple, Red

(Acer rubrum) Excellent specimen or shade tree. One of the first trees to change color in autumn; dark green leaves usually become brilliant red. Grows 12-15" per year. Plant in full sun and rich' well drained, slightly acidic soil. Prune only to retain natural shape. Usually grows 40' high by 30' wide. Hardy in zones 3-9.

Mockorange

(Philadelphus x virginalis 'Minnesota Snow flake') Plant in full sun or part shade in well drained soil. Mockorange needs annual pruning to keep it tidy. Prune after flowering as it blooms on last year's wood. Remove all dead wood and weak growth. Then cut back oldest stems to where young shoots are growing. Very old branches can be cut right down to ground level. Aim to have no branches that are more than five years old. Mockorange blooms spectacularly for several weeks in late spring to early summer. Grows about 6'high and wide. Hardy in zones 4-9.

Mountain Ash, European

(Sorbus aucuparia) Dark green, turning reddish in fall with orange-red berries that are attractive to birds. The odor of its white spring flowers is objectionable to some and should be considered when placing this tree near a walkway. Best used as a specimen plant. Upright when young and spreading at maturity, the Mountain Ash is a vigorous and rapidly growing tree and can reach heights of 25-40' and widths of 16-25'. Plant in a cool, moist location with full sun to partial shade. Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soils with a pH of 3. 7 to 7. 3. Prune tree as needed to remove damaged wood. Hardy in zones 3-7.

Passion Flower, Hardy

(Passiflora incarnata) Plant in full sun to partial shade in a protected location, and mulch heavily, especially in colder climates. Top growth can be killed back by frost, but 'pops' back to life in the spring. Passion flowers, also called Maypops, are easy to grow and will adapt themselves to most well-drained soils but will benefit by the addition of compost to the planting hole. During the growing season, the soil should be kept evenly moist, to ensure good flowering and growth. Apply a balanced(10-5-20) fertilizer in the early spring, and then again six to eight weeks later. Begins to bloom in July and continues until frost. The vigorous vines can easily grow up to 15' in a season, with a 2' to 3' spread. The fruit produced by this plant is an oval berry, a little larger than a chicken egg. Passion fruit is edible, but seedy. It can be used to make jelly, but its best usage may come from being a food source for several species of butterfly and hummingbirds. Hardy in zones 6-9.

Peashrub, Siberian

(Caragana Arborescens) Very hardy and fast growing. Grows 15-20' high with a spread of 12-18' but easily pruned to any size. Makes an excellent, fast-growing, thick hedge, spaced 2-4' apart. Prefers well-drained soil and full sun. Tolerates, salt, drought, poor soils, cold and wind. Hardy in zones 2-7.

Plum, Pink Double

(Prunus triloba var. Multiplex) Also known as Flowering Almond. Plant in full sun to partial shade; best flowering occurs in full sun. Best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained loams. Needs regular pruning to remove dead wood and to maintain form. Prune if necessary immediately after blooming in mid-spring. The most flowers appear on one to three year old wood, so regularly remove old wood. Blooms around the same time as Forsythia. Leaves turn yellow to bronze in the fall. Grows 10-15'in height. Hardy in zones 3-9.

Polygonum aubertii

(Silver Lace Vine) Plant in poor soil in full sun to light shade. Space 36-48" apart. Fast-growing vine can become weedy in rich soil. Provide a fence, wall or trellis for support. Drought tolerant. Grows to 25'. Blooms late summer to fall. Hardy in zones 4-9.