Spring Blooms III - Beyond Azaleas

Azaleas

Azaleas and Rhododendrons certainly

light up the spring garden.

For some, they may be a bit too electric.

If you're looking for spring flowering shrubs

with a more subtle show,

check out these options.

 

Rhododendron

The airy white flowers of Slender Deutzia (Deutzia gracilis) are
effective for a number of weeks. 

Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' is a dwarf variety which

maintains a height of about 2 feet with a spread of 2-5 feet.

Deutzia can be grown in full sun to part shade.

Slender Deutzia close-up.

White flower spikes cover the evergreen

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken').

Plant Cherry Laurel in full sun to part shade.

 

Variegated Weigela (Weigela florida var.)
branches, laden with flowers,
arch gently toward the ground.

For best flowering, site Weigela in full sun.

Weigela 

Weigela 'Wine and Roses' has purplish foliage .

It's easy to see where

Bridalwreath Spirea (Spiraea x vanhouttei) got its common name -

pristine white flowers trace arching brances
to create quite a spring show.

Bridalwreath Spirea flower clusters.
Best in full sun, Bridalwreath Spirea tolerates light shade.

Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) has moderately effective spring flowers.

They're an added bonus to its spectacular fall foliage - see it here and here).

Dwarf Fothergilla grows in full sun to part shade.

Feathery Dwarf Fothergilla blooms.

The vibrant yellow-orange flowers of

seemt to glow on the casual-looking,

Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora') shrub.

Grow Japanese Kerria in part shade to shade.

 

Sunny Japanese Kerria flowers.

If you want fragrant Lilac flowers,

but are short on space, consider

Miss Kim Korean Lilac (Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim').

Miss Kim is a compact variety with good mildew resistance. 

Lilacs bloom best in full sun, but tolerate light shade.

 

Showy white flowers perched along horizontal branches

create a splendid display on 

Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum). 

Doublefile Viburnum grows in sun to part shade.

Doublefile Viburnum flowers

For more spring flowering plants, see

Early Spring flowers and

Spring Flowers II.

Evergreen Shrubs

Winter can be bleak in the garden.  The boisterous summer and fall colors are long gone and things may be looking forlorn.  That's why the "bones" of a garden are so important.  "Bones" are elements that provide structure even in the winter (See Signature Gardens excellent post on "bones" here).  As I was touring my neighborhood seeking out examples for this post, I saw a house looking decidedly bare, with no shrubs in sight.  While summer may be a different story, there was nothing to cheer in the dead of winter.  On the other hand, the house pictured above looks snug and welcoming with a generous and varied helping of evergreens.

While the winter garden can't compete with the lively summer show, you can have year round interest by including elements with a winter presence.  Evergreen shrubs are an excellent part of the picture and there are many options that go beyond the yews of yesteryear. 

Spreading Yew (Taxus repandens) is low growing with attractive arching branches, and won't grow out of bounds like other yews.  It's unfortunate that their lovely form is sometimes pruned into sheared balls. 

Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo) is a shrub with several dwarf cultivars (including 'Mops', 'Slowmound' and 'Paul's Dwarf') that grow to about 3' tall. 

Gold Mop False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mops') offers vibrant foliage with a feathery texture.  This dwarf cultivar grows to about 3'.

Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis') is a slow growing shrub with a pyramidal form for an upright element.

This large Golden Hinoki Cypress (perhaps Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea' or 'Goldilocks' - 'Confucious' is a shorter variety) is a nice accent to Pieris japonica and Blue Spruce. 

Scotch Broom (Cytisus x praecox) is looking bright and full in December, with a unique texture.  This is a good example of the importance of botanical names - resources indicate that Cytisus x praecox is not invasive, while Cytisus scoparius is extremely invasive - read about it here.

This variegated Euonymus shrub (Euonymus fortunei cultivar) is a nice looking specimen -Euonymus shrubs generally don't have a uniform habit and can look unkempt.

This Cherry Laurel cultivar, perhaps 'Otto Luyken' (Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'), has a nice scale- UConn Plant Data Base indicates a height of about 4 feet. 
Thanks to Carolyn of Carolyn's Shade Gardens for the correction.

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) is a versatile broadleaf evergreen shrub with a nice uniform shape and a fine texture.  There are a number of good cultivars including 'Green Luster' and 'Helleri'.

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) is another medium sized shrub with beautiful lustrous leaves, although it's leggy nature calls for some layering.

Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' is a fastigiate upright Japanese Holly cultivar.

Evergreen is a misnomer for these azaleas, which bring beautiful color to the winter landscape.

Pieris japonica is another bright spot of color. A number of cultivars, such as 'Mountain Fire,' have red new growth.

Prague Viburnum (Viburnum 'Pragense') seems to be more reliably evergreen in zone 6 than Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum). 

This is a beautiful specimen of Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) shining in the midwinter.

More evergreen shrubs which are featured in my Fall Fruit post (click here to see it) are:

• Firethorn (Pyracantha)
• Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina)
• Hollies (Ilex x meserveae)

Another classic broadleaf evergreen, Boxwood (Buxus), is pictured in my Christmas Accents post (click here to see it).

To see more foliage in Foliage Follow-up posts from around the world, visit Digging.

Evergreen shrubs will help give your garden structure to brighten those bleak winter months. 

Fall Color - Shrubs

Fall focus is naturally drawn to
spectacular tree foliage.
But many shrubs
add color to the show as well.

Barberry (Berberis thunbergii is brilliant against
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)...
 

 

...or an evergreen backdrop.

But beware of Barberry's thorns!

Unfortunately, Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is

considered invasive in many states. 

See USDA Plants Profile and invasive.org.

 

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'),

a great all around plant,

is also a great fall performer. 

 

Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia) provides stellar fall color.
Check out Fall Ensemble for
plants to pair with Dwarf Fothergilla
for an even bigger show.
 

 Tatarian Dogwood (Cornus alba)
adds colorful fall foliage
to spring flowers and red winter branches
to round out its seasons of interest.

Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) offers
foliage color and berries to boot in the fall.

 

Foliage of some evergreen Azaleas, such as
'Hino Crimson', 'Blaauw's Pink' and 'Girard's Rose'
turns bronze to red in the fall.
They combine nicely with
Juniper, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Maiden Grass and Barberry. 


Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus 'Compactus' is one of the most vibrant fall color shrubs, and is often the default choice.  But there are good reasons to look beyond Burning Bush - it's large size, lack of interest in other seasons and invasive designation in many areas.  A colony sprouting from a neighbors plant just over my property line illustrates the point.  See USDA Plants Profile and invasive.org for more information. 















Some Japanese Spirea, such as 'Magic Carpet,' display autumn color.

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has
beautiful fall color to add to its list of merits.
'Pee Wee' and 'Sikes Dwarf' are smaller cultivars.

An evergreen juniper base sets off the
burgundy leaves of Viburnum.

Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) has striking fall foliage to accent its berries.  Although it's not related to notoriously invasive Bamboo, it is considered invasive in southeastern US - see invasive.org and
USDA Plants Profile.

'Fire Power' Nandina is a cultivar for smaller spaces, and
said not to be invasive by the University of Florida IFAS Extension.
 

One of my favorites,
Summer Wine Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Summer Wine') makes
a dramatic fall statement with its brilliant color.

For more fall color, see
Brilliant Trees and
The Fall Color Project at the Home Garden.

Although autumn foliage is fading fast, berries should continue to brighten the landscape
and provide winter decoration - see Fall Fruit.