Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’
As we move into the winter season, leaves of all colours are starting to fall. The greens turning to bronze have been superb in the garden at Harlow Carr and in particular the shades of bronze of the Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont'.
The pale pink tubular flowers offer an exquisite fragrance and one which should not be missed. Found, obviously in our Scented Garden at Harlow Carr, it nestles at the far side of the garden, halfway down against the boundary hedge. Although the leaves will fall, the fragrance and clusters of pretty pink flowers will continue long into the New Year.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Bodnant viburnum
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Height & spread
- 3m x 2m (10ft by 6ft)
- Form
- Long-lived, upright, deciduous shrub
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, deep, rich loamy soil
- Aspect
- Full sun or partial shade
- Hardiness
- Hardy throughout the British Isles
Viburnum
The genus Viburnum contains about 150 evergreen and deciduous shrubs and small trees, mainly from wooded areas of northern temperate regions, but extending to Malaysia and South America.
Different viburnums are grown for their flowers, fruit and foliage. Most have white flowers, some of them very fragrant, and brightly coloured fruits. Viburnum x bodnantense is grown for its fragrant, pretty, pink winter blossom, while others produce beautiful, scented flowers in spring or early summer.
The fruits of Viburnum are usually small and spherical, and usually black, blue or red, but V. opulus 'Xanthocarpum', a cultivar of the guelder rose, bears bright yellow berries.
Many of the deciduous viburnums such as V. dentatum also provide rich autumn colour.
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’
V. x bodnantense is the result of a cross between Viburnum farreri (formerly V. fragrans) and V. grandiflorum.
The cross was originally made by Charles Lamont, the Assistant Curator at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh in 1933. He didn't rate the resulting plants as being any better than their parents, so did not propagate them.
In 1934 and 1935, the same cross was done at Bodnant, hence the derivation of the name. 'Dawn' was the first cultivar to be named, 'Deben' was another and, after he died, 'Charles Lamont' was also honoured.
Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' is a medium to large deciduous shrub with a strong upright habit when young, later arching outwards gracefully.
With burnished bronze foliage in autumn and exquisitely fragrant flowers, it earns its place in any garden. The official flowering season is from mid-October until March, but the dense clusters of sweetly scented, rose-tinted flowers often start appearing earlier while the leaves are still on, and can continue past Easter.
In mild spells it is a spectacular sight, very cheering on a winter's day. The flowers are generally frost resistant, but even if they do get frosted, more soon open within a few days. Cut a few sprigs for the house - as cut flowers they last a long time.
Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' has dark pink flowers that age to white, strongly flushed pink. V. x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' is similar, but the flowers are a purer, brighter pink.
Cultivation
- Viburnums are excellent plants for a woodland garden or shrub border.
- A sunny site is best, but it can also tolerate dappled shade - in too much shade it will just grow towards the light.
- As it flowers on bare stems, it is best planted against a green background (such as hedging) to show off its beautiful clusters of flowers, or mixed in with other coloured stems.
- Alternatively, plant where the fragrance can be appreciated, beside a frequently used path.
- Grow them in moist but well-drained conditions in deep, rich, loamy soil.
Propagation
- Propagation is by softwood cuttings taken in early summer for deciduous viburnums, and semi-ripe cuttings taken in summer for evergreen types.
- Hardwood cuttings taken in early autumn can also be used for deciduous winter-flowering species.
- Seeds can be sown in containers or in a seed bed in the autumn.
AGM
The RHS Floral B Committee awarded Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' an Award of Garden Merit and described it as:
"Vigorous, upright large deciduous shrub with dark purple shoots bearing terminal clusters of scented, pink flowers. Oval leaves open bronze-tinted, becoming dark green by summer."