Viburnum x bodnatense (Cultivated- UK)

Viburnum × bodnantense Aberc. ex Stearn, Bot. Mag. 167: t. 113 1950.;

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Fwd: Photographing plants during winter months in cold climates : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (8)

I walked to my local bank yesterday taking my camera with me (just in case) even though there is not usually much in flower in early February in most parts of the UK.

Came across a fine display of winter colour in a garden. I think this must be Viburnum x bodnatense ‘Dawn’. This cultivar (and variants of it) is widely-grown being available in Garden Centres as well as more specialist nurseries. Lovely scent – combined with the colour, especially welcome at this time of year (albeit towards the end, hopefully, of winter – though often can produce the worst weather of the year in the UK).

It is understood to be a cross between V.farreri (female) and V.grandiflorum raised at Bodnant (a famous garden in North Wales) for Lord Aberconway. Apparently it can (I have never grown it myself) flower between October and April – the autumn flowers are usually white, flushed pink; the spring flowers deep pink, frost-resistant (that does not appear to be the case in this specimen).

A.farreri is a Chinese species, A.grandiflorum from the Himalaya.

I saw what I understood to be V.foetens leading a botanical tour in Pakistan in April 1987. This taxon is now included within V.grandiflorum.

Some of the keen observers amongst you may have spotted that despite the 8 images, there are no photos of its leaves. Isn’t … always BANGING ON about taking images of both the upper and lower surface of leaves? A mistake? Or perhaps his shots of the leaves were out-of-focus and he declined to post them?

Sorry, none of the above – this shrub has its flowers BEFORE THE LEAVES!

Strangely enough, given how common it is in Kashmir incl. on Khelanmarg, no images from Kashmir on eFI.

I have some shots (at fruiting stage) I will post at some point.
Winter is drawing to a close, why not get out and take some images to post.