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The popular Glow festive illuminations event will return to RHS Garden Wisley this Christmas, it has been announced. Wisteria is a high-climbing, long-lived vining plant with cascades of blue to purple flowers that look spectacular hanging from a pergola or archway in spring and early summer. However, this vine is a fast and aggressive grower—often reaching 30+ feet long—and is known to grow quite heavy. Wisteria vines will work their way into any crook or cranny they can reach, so it’s advised not to plant them too near yourhome. Wisteria vines require a very sturdy structure to climb on, such as a metal or wooden trellis or pergola. Mature plants have been known to get so heavy that they break their supports, so plan with care and build your structure with heftymaterials. Remove seedpods at will or leave a few for winter interest. If you bring any indoors for display/decoration, be aware that the ambient warmth of the home may cause them toexplode. If you are located in North America, consider planting a species of wisteria native to the continent, suchas:
Awarded with the golden prize of being the number one illumination display in all of Japan, Ashikaga Flower Park offers a truly spectacular and enjoyable evening walking under all the magical lights. With gardens of thousands of blinking lights, their original wisteria light tunnels, and other lit-up themed sets, Ashikaga Flower Park is a definite must-visit for their illuminations at nighttime. Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant and a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and controlweeds. American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), which grows in Zones 5 to 9. It’s native to a range of states covering Virginia to Texas, southeast to Florida and north up through New York, Iowa, and Michigan. The vine grows 25to 30 feet long with shiny, dark-green leaves and large, drooping lilac or purple-blue flower clusters which appear after the plant has leafed out. The blooms will only appear on new wood. However, note that the flowers tend to be more lightly fragrant than the Asian wisterias’flowers. Wisteria blooms vigorously in spring, producing clusters of lilac-color flowers on new growth. In late July or after flowers have faded, it’s time to prune. Learn more about growing and caring forwisteria. AboutWisteria
Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese wisteria (Wisteriafloribunda)are non-native, invasivespecies, so we do not recommend them for North American gardens, despite the fact that they areregularly sold at nurseries and garden centers.They are hardy in Zones 5 to 9 and are capable of growing 30 to 60 feet in length (and beyond in the Southern U.S.). Two common varieties of Japanese wisteria include: A display inside the incredible Glasshouse will return this year and atmospheric music will accompany the light displays around the garden.
Prune established wisteria in July or after flowers have faded. Cut side shoots to about 6 inches long, while retaining the climbing branches. This will create lots of short spurs all along the main vines. In late winter, prune the same side shoots, leaving two or three buds oneach. Wisteria is also known for growing onto (and into) nearby structures, such as houses, garages, sheds, and so on. We strongly recommend not planting wisteria too close to yourhome! Running from November 19 to January 4, 2022 just outside Woking, the spectacular event is said to be bigger and better than the last, with new eye-catching displays and a longer route. From where to take the kids and go out to eat, to celebrity gossip, hidden gems and secrets spots you'll want to explore, we've got Surrey covered.Wisteria flowers are beautifully fragrant, providing a feast for the senses. After flowering, abrown, bean-like pod stays on the plant until winter. Blooms only appear on newgrowth. Add compost if your soil is in poor condition; otherwise, wisteria will grow in most soils. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting. Take a shovel and drive it 8 to 10 inches into the ground about a foot and a half away from the wisteria’s main trunk to slice into some of theroots. The illumination displays are certainly something you have to go see with your own eyes, as the camera does not capture the magic of it all, and does the fantastical atmosphere no justice on screen. The difference between Ashikaga Flower Park and other illuminations (that I've seen in Japan) are the amount of different lights they have, and of course the wisteria light tunnels. Many of their lights were actually in the shape of different flowers (roses that change color, lotuses reflecting their light on the water) making the illuminations very detailed and impressive. The arrangement of lights with actual real flowers was also gorgeous, and you will find yourself spending a lot of time taking photos at each display. They also had interactive displays where you can press buttons to make lights change, with one adorable set sending a light flowing towards our planet earth, and sprouting a leaf on top!
Plant in full sun. Though wisteria will grow in partial shade, it probably won’t flower. Sunlight isessential.
When pruning an established but untamed plant, be ruthless. Cut the stem several feet below the desired height; there will be an upsurge of new vegetative (not flowering) shoots in the following spring. Give it space to grow and fullsun. Visitors of all ages will be able to experience the garden in a completely new light and embrace the magic of the festive season. The park can be most easily accessed from Tokyo. All you have to do is take the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Oyama Station (a 42 minute journey that costs ¥3860), and then take the JR Ryomo Line from Oyama Station to Tomita Station (a 13 minute journey that costs ¥580). Ashikaga Flower Park is then a short 13 minute walk away from the station. If you have the JR pass, the whole journey is covered by it, so it is definitely a place very worth visiting if you are staying in Tokyo and have the JR pass.
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