I couldn't resist this shrub when I was browsing at the garden center yesterday, looking at the wreaths. I have admired the bush for a long time. It is an Ivory Halo Dogwood which offers a lot of winter interest. Once the foliage drops, the brilliant red colour of the twigs is revealed. I think it will look lovely at the end of a row of ornamental grasses but I will wait until spring to plant it..


"There are many tired gardeners but I've seldom met old gardeners. I know many elderly gardeners but the majority are young at heart. Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized. The one absolute of gardeners is faith. Regardless of how bad past gardens have been, every gardener believes that next year's will be better. It is easy to age when there is nothing to believe in, nothing to hope for; gardeners, however, simply refuse to grow up." Allan Armitage.