Well, not much has changed in the flower palette lately for my SBP designs. I wouldn’t say I’m getting sick of anemones, per say, but I sure am looking forward to having something new to play with soon. I’m frankly dumbfounded that the narcissus aren’t blooming yet at least.
In any case, this week I took some inspiration from a pretty little basket I have that I’d been anxious to use for a floral design. It has a zen feel to it. Among the ever present white anemones, I tucked in the very first harvest of the peach ranunculus. The hellebores add a little more color too. But the real star of the show, at least in person, is the Abeliophyllum (or white forsythia). Its delicate branches are loaded with the most sweetly fragrant blossoms. My whole studio is swathed in its perfumed scent. Heaven!
The weatherman says it’s suppose to hit 60 next week. Woot, woot! Heat wave!! Hopefully it’ll bring more into bloom. I’m getting tired of Erin kicking my ass with her amazingly colorful West coast bounty!
Love the white forsythia! Adding that to my must have list!
I have never seen Abeliophyllum before, but it is gorgeous and I am going to go learn a bit more about it. More generally, I am really loving the Seasonal Bouquet project (and the extras!)!
i am in love with the white forsythia-which really seems to be pink. it was so beautiful and it held up wonderfully. i want more of it! It looks beautiful in your arrangement.
Abeliophyllum is an amazing little shrub. It’s very easy to grow: likes partial shade but can handle most anything. It takes a year or two to get going, but once it does, it blooms its heart out usually in mid-March (it’s late this year) in zone 7. You can also cut the branches after the buds are swollen and force them inside. The fragrance is decidedly sweet and pretty strong. People stop to smell it when walking by. If cut when it’s just opening, it’ll last in an arrangement for 5-6 days.
It’s common name is white forsythia because it blooms about the same time as real forsythia. Abeliophyllum is not actually a forsythia though. And the reason it’s called “white” even though the blooms look pink is because the flowers fade from soft pink to white as they mature. It’s at its showiest in the landscape when the flowers are old and white. Of course, if the flowers are faded to white already, you don’t want to use it as a cut because that means they’re about ready to drop.
If you’re not using Abeliophyllum for cutting, you’ll want to give it a hard prune every year or two to keep it from getting unruly. If you’re cutting it anyway like I am, it never gets out of control.
Grow Abeliophyllum! You’ll love it!