I didn’t get around to posting these photos back in May when they were taken, but they are a welcome reminder of the freshness of the season, one that still lingers in these early days of summer. This is the double-file viburnum, commonly referred to as the wedding cake bush. It’s more than fitting, as there is a photo of Andy and I on our wedding day taken in this very spot, with this very bush in the background, in full bloom.
It doesn’t get its name from our ceremony, but rather the horizontal wedding cake layer-like countenance of a specimen in flower. Despite its elegant and delicate appearance, this is a very hardy shrub, that withstands drastic pruning and less-than-ideal conditions. It also has more than one way to show off – not only on its branches, but on the mosaic-like stone tiles of the Boston Public Garden.
Consider it a double-file doing double-duty with its load of beauty, throwing off a second showing for those of us closer to the ground. A home-grown toss of confetti, if you will.
No matter how you look at it, the viburnum is a gorgeous landscape addition.
