No, this is NOT weeds. You are looking at a kolkwitzia, some echinacea and peony foliage, and behind that, a rather large white hibiscus (with red throat) that is supposed to be a dwarf called Lil’ Kim.
The Kolkwitzia (which is in desperate need of a trim but I have had a little issue with my shoulder so that’s not happening this fall) is reaching upward to its full height of 8′. Its mature height is supposed to be 6-8′ so that is right about where it should be.
Lil’ Kim, on the other hand, as I said, was supposed to be a dwarf. You know how I am always saying “plants can’t read?” Apparently no one told this plant that she was supposed to stay dwarf!
What’s really unfortunate about this Lil’ Kim situation is that I have her “sister” plant just the other side of the kolkwitzia. She is staying dwarf–but look what she’s doing! She’s turning purple! What the heck?!
Apparently no one told this version of the Lil’ Kim that she was supposed to be white and not purple. Oh dear! Again, plants, can’t read! (And no, you’re still not looking at weeds, for the most part–this is agastache and milkweed over here. I had to step carefully around lots of bees to get this photo!)
So when I talk about buying “tried and true plants” (and full disclosure–I did not buy these plants at all–they were sent to me as test plants) you can see what I mean. Sometimes, we want to give the growers a couple of years to “get the kinks out” of the plants before we put them into our gardens.
Particularly with shrubs, you can save yourself a lot of heartache that way!
Gardendaze 