When I first moved into this house way back in 2007, I looked at the front of the house and the space underneath the lounge window and thought 'ornamental quince hedge'. This gap had flowery hedge written all over it and I knew it just had be done. I have over the years charted the development of the hedge, from its early days when still a handful of leafy twigs to getting mature enough to cut with hedge trimmers.
The hedge is made up of Chaenomeles superba 'Crimson and Gold'. I planted them in Autumn 2007 and it took them a few years to really put their roots out and establish. Those first few years were not as rain-filled as recent years have been and I think this did not suit them. Once we started having wetter years they seemed to develop at a pace.
Now I look at them and I am so pleased with what they have become. They are a hedge, the more I trim them into the shape, the more they thicken up further and flex their hedginess even more. I love the ripple of red running through the hedge at the moment. It is a bee-magnet, especially good in these early weeks of the year when pollinators can struggle to find food. It also reminds me of the one I had at a previous house, when I did not know what it was but I knew I loved it. I used to walk past it in the front garden and be amazed at the sound of buzzing come from it. It is a plant that connects me to both gardens, to different times in my life. Such plants are treasured.
My quince hedge by the back door fills me with delight at this time of year, although it was a little late this time. Usually it starts flowering in November but this time it was December before the first flower bud opened. I just cut mine back to the wall each year so that I can walk along the path and hadn't realised that by doing so meant that it flowered earlier and longer, until I googled it some time ago to find out why!
ReplyDeleteThey are great shrubs and that cutting them makes them flower earlier is a good thing to know - thanks
DeleteThere are so many colours too in the Chaenomeles family. I have a beautiful salmon coloured on but had not thought of using them for a hedge.
ReplyDeleteI had a quick peek at my Edgeworthia yesterday after reading your last post. Heavens to Betsy, I have developing buds on the ends of the branches! If everything progresses well this will be the first time it has flowered since planting. Thank you for the reminder. I shall have to do a garden post when it does.