Forsythia giraldiana

Giraldi’s forsythia

Whilst our lawn and indeed the bare earth beneath shrubs and trees in the garden are becoming increasingly bedecked with snowdrops, crocuses, hellebores and other spring treasures, I am looking for something a little showy and springlike at head height and this forsythia seems to fill that need.

We planted it along time ago, (bgd* in fact), so I’m afraid I’m not 100% sure that it is definitely F.giraldiana but my usually reliable memory tells me it is, and by process of elimination (height, early flowerer, pale flower colour) I’m confident enough! The point is that the pale yellow flowers are the important bit for me as I dislike that chrome yellow you see everywhere (often in conjunction with pink flowering cherries) later on in the season – it’s a harsh colour and the shrub is overused.

Place it carefully in your garden, since to flower well it must have full sun and preferably be damper rather than dryer, but at the same time keep it away from centre stage because it has little to offer for the rest of the year: a good place is in a boundary perhaps or at the back of a bed.

Lack of a good crop of flowers may be position or weather related but it could also be because the tender new shoots are irresistible to some birds and once they discover the source, they will keep on coming back.

* before garden diary!

NB Louise has published a beautifully produced book of her plant profiles – A Plant for Each Week of the Year. It costs £9.99 and is for sale in our online shop here.

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