Outside my studio window and 30' beyond, the top third of our flowering Dogwood (Cornus Kousa) arches above the sloping hillside in a cloud of creamy white blossoms. Remarkably it has been a field of flowers for over a month and its steadfast color transitions only slightly from a buttery icing to a soft white as it withstands the many changes in weather. Currently at about 15' in height, its potential is to double in size.
Other varieties in this family include Cornus stolonifera, a deciduous shrub which grows to about 5' in height, can be used in the the perennial bed or by itself out in the landscape, is practically maintenance free and offers year-round interest and beauty: white blossoms in the spring, green foliage, berries in the fall... only to shed its clothing in the winter and reveal the stunning branching of either the yellow twig or red twig.
The red twig below just happened here, seeded, decided this is where it wanted to be among the iris. Who am I to question?
Others are naturalizing on the hillside, and we do nothing to them, not even water. What we most enjoy is seeing the two planted
within close proximity of one another. Stripped of all its foliage, the bright yellow gold against the blood red stems in the winter landscape is a sight to behold, especially if it snows. Stay tuned to see that one.
No, not much to worry about with this specimen, but if you cut back some of the branches in the spring, it will yield new growth and richer and brighter color.
