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Monday 13 September 2010

Celebrating spring; Purple Mist;

Please click pics;




Today I wanted to post "My Kitchen garden part two" it has to wait; because...

in the herb garden the Wisteria has broken out in a purple mist of flowers; a spectacular show of nature's abundance.

A few facts about growing one of these wonders;

Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae.

Wisteria vines climb by twining their stems either clockwise or counter-clockwise round any available support. They can climb as high as 20 m above ground and spread out 10 m laterally.

The leaves are alternate, 15 to 35 cm long, pinnate, with 9 to 19 leaflets. The flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 10 to 80 cm long, similar to those of the genus Laburnum, but are purple, violet, pink or white. Flowering is in the spring (just before or as the leaves open) in some Asian species, and in mid to late summer in the American species and W. japonica. The flowers of some species are fragrant, most notably Chinese Wisteria. The seeds are produced in pods.


Wisteria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including brown-tail. It is also an extremely popular ornamental plant in China and Japan.


Wisteria, especially Wisteria sinensis, is very hardy and fast-growing. It is considered an invasive species in certain areas. It can grow in fairly poor-quality soils, but prefers fertile, moist, well-drained ones. It thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Wisteria can be propagated via hardwood cutting, softwood cuttings, or seed. However, seeded specimens can take decades to bloom; for that reason, gardeners usually grow plants that have been started from rooted cuttings or grafted cultivars known to flower well.

Wisteria can grow into a mound when unsupported, but is at its best when allowed to clamber up a tree, pergola, wall, or other supporting structure. Whatever the case, the support must be very sturdy, because mature Wisteria can become immensely strong and heavy wrist-thick trunks and stems. These will certainly rend latticework, crush thin wooden posts, and can even strangle large trees. Wisteria allowed to grow on houses can cause damage to gutters, downspouts, and similar structures. Its pendulous racemes are best viewed from below.

Wisteria flowers develop in buds near the base of the previous year's growth, so pruning back side shoots to the basal few buds in early spring can enhance the visibility of the flowers. If it is desired to control the size of the plant, the side shoots can be shortened to between 20 and 40 cm long in mid summer, and back to 10 to 20 cm in autumn.

Believe it or not:

The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies.
- Gertrude Jekyll




17 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos of your wisteria at her most beautiful. I do love these plants as they put on such a magical show.

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  2. Magnificent! Such a beautiful display. I just wish we could grow it up here ... but alas, not to be!
    Just a little aside ... thank you so much for your surprise. It arrived last week ... but my computer had crashed and I lost your email during this time of great inconvenience. Anyway, all arrived safe and sound ... and are potted up. Can't thank you enough!

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  3. This is so so beautiful! Really purple mist!! I love how this vine tree is shaped also. Did you read a book there? Your garden is so lovely now :-D Have a great week.

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  4. Ein herrlicher Anblick ist dein Blauregen.Ich habe leider keinen.Dafür kann ich beim Nachbarn schauen.
    Liebe Grüsse
    Helga

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  5. Glyzinien, eine wunderbare, für mich mit vielen Erinnerungen verbundene, Pflanze. Wir haben im Garten meiner Eltern am See eine uralte Pflanze, die trotz mangelnder Pflege immer noch blüht. Sie hat für mich einen leicht altmodischen "touch", dabei ist sie hier wieder ganz "in", wenn man den Gartenzeitungen glauben darf. Dein Blauregen sieht traumhaft aus. Habe mir auch schon überlegt eine weisse zu kaufen, aber ich wüsste nicht wohin damit (vielleicht als Bäumchen ziehen?). Uebrigens, das Bonmot von G.J. ist treffend, auch wenn man ab und zu etwas "gartenmüde" ist, wie ich im Moment!
    Sei ganz lieb gegrüsst,
    Barbara

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  6. Wow! What a beauty! That purple mist is very magical. The whole scene is worthy of a painting, I think.

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  7. Gorgeous gorgeous Wisteria purple mist! I would not be able to leave the garden if I have one in mine! Thanks for sharing it with us!

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  8. hey, I found you again. Love your new blog. I love Wisteria but it can become a problem as you stated. My poor garden is suffering neglect.

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  9. *lol* you are right, a Glaserl Wein and the beautiful colours of your Wisteria cheer me up :)
    Thanks :)

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  10. Wonderful Wisteria flowers, really spectacular!
    Thanks for sharing, Titania :-)

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  11. One of my grandmothers had a lovely wisteria vine that camouflaged a barbed-wire fence that separated her back yard from the chicken coop. It's been one of my favorites since childhood.

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  12. One has to come this far, virtually to enjoy a post about gardening covering
    the whole court, because not all is beauty in the practice.

    Forethought is part of the deal. Congratulations.

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  13. I love the way you trained your vine into a tree. I'm sure that took time but it is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for all the info on wisteria, very useful.

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  14. Marilyn, yes it is a fantastic plant to flower in spring.
    Bernie; certain plants do not grow in the tropics but I think there are many substitutes when I look at your plants you have in the garden.

    Stephanie; no I usually read in the "sofa nook" in the kitchen! but it would be a nice spot to sit and read. there is a constant humming from the bees and insects seeking out the nectar and pollen from the flowers.

    Helga; ja, das ist auch ein Loesung!

    Barbara; ja ich kenne die Gartenmuedigkeit auch, hauptsaechlich im Hochsommer oder wenn alles aus trocknet. Wir hatten eine Glyzinie am Haus entlang wachsen.Ich hatte auch eine weisse dazu gepflanzt aber die ist gestorben. Du koenntest eine weisse als "Baeumchen" ziehen. Ich habe solche schon gesehen sie sind ein Traum!

    Ami thank you, you could plant one make an arbour!

    Diane, you have a lovely garden, a little elbow grease and it will be up to scratch again. Soon you will have your grandson pushing the wheelbarrow.

    Maria, I am glad you are feeling better again.
    Thank you Pietro.

    Floridagirl; that would be lovely, I should try this next year.

    Kathy, yes it is a good idea to camouflage, so I do like to watch my chickens!

    antigonum cajan, right!

    charsnyder71, Yes, it is a few years, perhaps 7 years, since I planted it.

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  15. stunning! i love wisterias, would so want one for my garden but i'm not sure it would survive me or the climate.

    baths & body works - that alas not is available in sweden - had a really lovely body spray with wisteria once. one can at least enjoy the scent (though i can't remember what it was like other than enjoyable).

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  16. These photos took my breath away. My next door neighbor has the same plant in his garden but it isn’t as big and as beautiful as yours.
    Your celebrate spring while it is first day of autumn over here. Mornings and evenings are quite cold but it is comfortable warm over the day. My summer was beautiful but passed quickly.:-)

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