WORKING GARDENER'S JOURNAL

Up top you see the Pieris evergreen shrub, which has family ties to Rhododendrons and Azaleas. The ones I care for have either little white dangling bells, or larger dullish pink bells. I hear there are now some Pieris plants with livelier colors.
 This pic was taken near Lake Champlain, probably zone 5 leaning toward zone 5b. If I lived closer to the canadian border, I would mulch heavily in late fall, maybe even put up a wind block. Here are some tips:

* Make sure the Pieris has enough moisture going into winter; it's roots are shallow and can dry out.
* Prune after flowering.
* Fertilize in early spring with Hollytone, Muracid or coffee grounds and compost.