Purple Haze

"Purple Haze all in my brain..."

It's been a long time since Jimi Hendrix lyrics floated thru my head. But that was certainly the tune I was playing when I wandered thru the garden over the weekend. It was not a flashback to my old college days or anything; just a good accompaniment to the "Ah ha!" moment I had when I saw my
Cotinus x 'Grace'.



She seems to be blooming a little early this year, maybe because of the continued rain we've had, and the relatively cool temps. The other smoke trees are in bloom, too. I've got a regular green _Cotinus coggygria, and a

Cotinus coggygria 'Velvet Cloak'
and a pretty nifty little Cotinus coggygria called 'Pop's Pink Champagne'. But none compare to the stature and depth of color that 'Grace' has. Somehow Smoke Trees have gotten the reputation of being fussy or hard to grow in the Southeast. I can't for the life of me figure out why. I have several trees in full blazing all day sun with only mulch to help them thru the last two year drought. I have a couple of Pink Champagnes and the Royal Cloak in full shade. None has shown any problem in any cultural situation, and all have bloomed routinely every year. When I look them up on the NC State website (one of my favorite reference sites) there is nothing there to suggest anything but the same success I've had with these delightful and unusual shrubby trees. The fall color is also outstanding. Check out www.cotinus.net or http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/coob2.htm for other pictures and descriptions. Check out your local retail garden store. If they don't carry smoke trees, ask them why not? Once you get to know these beauties- especially Grace - you'll find yourself humming along.....

"whatever it is, that girl's put a spell on me..."

Fringe Trees

Do you remember when we cut the flowers that were in bloom; when we ate what was in season? Yeah, I'm old enough to remember looking forward to the German iris bloom in my grandmother's rows and to asparagus and soft shelled crab in early spring. Seems like most things are available without wait these days. But we miss the anticipation.


Right now in my garden both the American and Chinese Fringe trees are in full glorious flower. It's not the azalea and dogwood that herald spring for me, but these two beauties. Nothing can substitute for the rare and delicate nature of the flowers, for the staggering impact of a large tree full of them, nor for the fleeting nature of the experience.
Chionanthus virginicus flower
Chionanthus retusus flower

Chionanthus retusus habit



Feast on these pictures for now. The flowers are already fading. Go quickly to find one up close. Smell that faint sweet fragrance that just smells perfectly like spring. Remember the lines from that old Tom Waits song...

I never saw the morning 'til I stayed up all night
I never saw the sunshine 'til you turned out the light
I never saw my hometown until I stayed away too long
I never heard the melody, until I needed a song.... (San Diego Serenade)

Enjoy them now. Look forward to them forever after.