Spiraea x vanhouttei 'Pink Ice'
4th June 2012
Spiraea x vanhouttei is a splendidly practical small flowering shrub and spectacularly dull. Fortunately some
bright leaved bushy twigged sports are appearing that are prepared to be visually unruly in a genus that had previously
specialised in warm tea and brown cardigans. It is difficult to make a case for 'Pink Ice' that will receive a moments
consideration from the pastel herbaceous hordes who munch their way relentlessly through the countries garden tea rooms,
but they don't matter. Dinosaurs who persist in ignorance of their inevitable destiny.
This is a sparkling confection of artificial colours, all fluff and dance rhythms pounding relentlessly and going nowhere.
Eventually the Pastelistas will adopt it for their lavender gardens, cut back regularly to keep it fresh and surrounded
with Campanula and purple onions. It will be accepted and fawned over like chilli-chocolate and terracotta paint.
It's just the way of things, nothing remains shocking for long.
6th June 2015