Well. that put a cat amongst the pigeons! The result of a rough poll amongst your comments is: 32 of you like Forsythia 15 of you do not and 5 of you are pretty indifferent So it seems that the violent yellow flowers and dreary foliage is here to stay. As some of you say, Vive la Difference. If we all liked the same things then our gardens would be terribly dull places. I hope that you enjoyed the comments as much as I did. (A special thanks to Joy and Peter Cox whose story of their emerging garden was delightful - especially as there was no mention of Forsythia - I sympathise with your rubble trouble if you go and look at http://www.blackpitts.co.uk/frameset.html?blackpitts you will see my original rubble pile!)
Oh joy! Someone who dislikes forsythia as much as I do. It is nice to know that I am not the only soul with an intense dislike of this plant. Have you ever tried to get rid of it? I'm in the process now and am truly amazed by how it roots everywhere it touches the ground...and speaking of roots - they travel 4-5 feet underground and then pop up as a whole new bush. Ahhh, the aggravation of it all.
Forsythia suspensa growing in the middle distance in light woodland to counteract a nearby patch of daffodils: lovely. Forsythia X intermedia cut into what I describe as a 'tethered balloon' shape and planted between a blue Chamaecyparis & an Aucuba: vile.
The plant is not to blame, but the gardener is. No plant should be discriminated against because of its ease to grow and colourfulness. It's snobbery, and unfounded too, if you listen to the Duke of Argyll's advice on how to become a good gardener,'Find out what grows well: and plant a lot of them.'
I'm not fond of forsythia, the person who lived here before me had planted one in completely the wrong place and my son had to remove a fence panel and tow the roots out using his people carrier. My bugbear is totally colour coordinated gardens, each to their own but I love bright colours, reds, blues, yellows, oranges, and I love to swap plants with neighbours and friends. When I moved here a couple of years ago there was little in the garden but the forsythia bush and although the garden is tiny most of it has been planted with things I have been given or swapped and I think it is starting to look good, the garden is evolving rather than being planned and I'm also growing vegetables, most of which I've started from seed and am growning in containers. All in all I'm having a great deal of fun without spending lots of money and when I look at the plants I think of the friends that gave them to me.
No Way! Forsythia is a full on, in your face, sign of Spring. What a delight after a long dark winter. I have two ancient hedges the entire length of my garden. When in flower it brightens up even the dullest day and lifts the heart!
i just love the forsythia bush..i have recently moved houde, and had to leave my lovely bush behind,,gonna go get another for my new garden,,i love the yellow flower..it makes my happy, as it shows the first sign of nicer weather ...love love love forsythia!!!!
I have a whole bunch of forsythias growing on my hillside...they are beautiful...I just let them alone and they ramble down the hillside in one large swath...I love them> :-)
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The result of a rough poll amongst your comments is:
32 of you like Forsythia
15 of you do not
and 5 of you are pretty indifferent
So it seems that the violent yellow flowers and dreary foliage is here to stay.
As some of you say, Vive la Difference. If we all liked the same things then our gardens would be terribly dull places.
I hope that you enjoyed the comments as much as I did.
(A special thanks to Joy and Peter Cox whose story of their emerging garden was delightful - especially as there was no mention of Forsythia - I sympathise with your rubble trouble if you go and look at http://www.blackpitts.co.uk/frameset.html?blackpitts you will see my original rubble pile!)
The plant is not to blame, but the gardener is. No plant should be discriminated against because of its ease to grow and colourfulness. It's snobbery, and unfounded too, if you listen to the Duke of Argyll's advice on how to become a good gardener,'Find out what grows well: and plant a lot of them.'
Enjoy yourself.
So there!