I completely disagree with you regarding forsythia, I think it is wonderful, makes me think of Easter, sunshine and is great in my flower arrangements, yes it has lasted for eight days and still looks good. It certainly looks better and smells better than the one it kills.
I agree it conjures up my childhood memories and why oh why was it always palnted with the pink redcurrant (Ribes). The threesome made up with those hideous magenta coloured paeonies which only last a week before dropping masses of petals everywhere, leaving equally boring foliage all summer. Especially when there is such a sweetie shop of gorgeous plants and shrubs no matter what your climate.
We had a huge garden when I was little, with a massive forsythia in one hidden corner. We buried our pets under it when they died, too, so for me, even though I think you're probably right about it being ugly, it's a must-have garden shrub. But luckily I have a lot of space to fill.
When I was about 12 years old, I helped my Mum with the gardening and I chopped off what I thought was a dead twig but was in fact a newly purchased forsythia. When she moved out some 11 years later, the blooming thing was filling the flower bed down one complete side of the garden; about 30 feet in all. Now my neighbours gone and got one and I'm just waiting for it to invade my garden.....
How sad that you hate this plant. My forsythia is beautiful. It's a vibrant pale yellow and left unpruned it produces beautiful trailing branches. I have planted a cutting of clematis macropetala Maidwell Hall through it, and expect even greater glory when this flowers!
I love my forsythia & thanks KC, just the plant combination I was looking for! Then underplanted with yellow/white daffs and pale blue grape hyacinths or similar - a picture. And cheaper than a Van Gogh! PS. Hate ribes & wouldn't have even if I was paid to grow it!
WE are planning to remove our Forsythia this weekend. I hate them as they have such a short time when they are interesting. Shrubs/trees in my garden have to be interesting at least twice in a year to earn their keep.
The old-fashioned pale yellow forsythia with it's gracefully arching branches is beautiful. It's the newer 'tampered with by breeders' one with the garish gold flowers and straight boughs which is the one I hate !
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It certainly looks better and smells better than the one it kills.
It's exactly the same shade of yellow as Daffs
Maidwell Hall through it, and expect even greater glory when this flowers!