Any new plant has got to be the favorite for at least a week, right?
When I stopped by Means just to wander around, Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Pink Beauty’ called out to me from afar. There were lots of shrubs sporting fiery foliage, but the deeply pleated leaves in deep red-to-almost-purple, with lighter undersides, drew me with their comparative subtlety. Seen from any angle, they give me a jolt of happiness.
I’m trying to introduce more color along ‘Delusional Drive’.
Of course this particular moment of glory will be fleeting. I knocked off a quantity of leaves during planting and more will fall of their own accord in the coming days. Here’s what I have to look forward to in other seasons, according to the plant tag. Rounded, deciduous shrub with tiered, horizontal branches. Leaves mature to dark green and change to reddish purple in fall. Large, showy pink flowers in spring. Beautiful in bloom. Deep, infrequent watering. Little to no pruning required. Part sun to shade. Average mature size 6′ x 6′. Cold hardiness to -10?. From the photo on the tag, it looks like the flowers are tubular and dangling, rather that the flat white flower heads of most doublefile Viburnums (no indication if there is a scent).
Who cares, really? This is what I got it for and this is what I will look forward to each Autumn. We need as many reasons as possible to celebrate this season. Spring will take care of itself. Want to see what’s favored in the Danger Garden this week? While you’re there, don’t forget to check the comments for links to other favorites.
Of course, you had me at PINK my friend. What a beauty this plant is. I look forward to seeing the pink flowers next spring. “Delusional Drive” I like that. 🙂
Each Autumn, I fall madly in love with all the VIburnums around town. It would be amazing if the blooms had that same, heady fragrance that some of the doublefiles do!
What a beautiful red those leaves are! It really stands out in that long shot. Great choice.
Nice choice! And I love the photo that accompanies the tag “Delusional Drive”…there must be a story behind that name?
Fleeting moment of beauty but what a rich colour!
I would have fallen for the leaves too! Okay, now you have to tell us about Delusional Drive…
It’s hardly surprising you fell for such beauty. That’s both of us with a new Viburnum this autumn – mines is holding on tightly to the last leaf left on its stems!
A lovely addition and the red against the dark green in the border looks wonderful – you picked a great spot for it too.
Grace~Her spring debut will be posted especially for you.
Scott~I’ll let you know.
Alison~The color is divine.
Loree & Anna K~R coined the term ‘Delusional Drive’ and I took to it right away. It perfectly encapsulates our unreasonable optimism and my habit of adding ever more beds, berms and borders with no hope of keeping them properly maintained.
Mark & Gaz~Ephemeral beauty demands our full attention. I like that.
Angie~I added two this year. The second one, from our fall swap, is just beginning to color up, so more to come…hooray!
Oh dear ! fatal to stop ‘for a look round’, as you never walk out without a carful of plants ! It does look lovely, had to smile at you knocking the leaves off (not THAT many to start with !!). I hope the two of you will be very happy !!
Jane~We love living dangerously.
Ain’t Means grand? Love your gorgeous new Viburnum. The delusional drive looks great and your garden looks huge!
Peter~Every gardener’s dream is ever more space, right? Well, let me tell you, it’s a mixed blessing when weeding time rolls around and that’s pretty much all the time.
Holy smokes, that coloring is gorgeous! Nothing delusional about that.
Heather~Where there’s fire, there’s smoke.