10+ Favourite Shrubs

There were moments during the bleak, cold days of early April when I thought that spring would never arrive, but daffodils are poking up out of the ground and blooms are surely only days away. At last long last, spring is here! 

Shrubs have been on my mind as a prune away any dead, diseased or crossing branches in the garden. Here is just a sampling of what I think are the prettiest shrubs available:

Double Flowering Almond, Prunus triloba:

Is a member of the Rosaceae family and is actually a small deciduous tree. It has a vase shape and double pink flowers in early spring. Note: branches are good for forcing indoors.

Height: up to 12' Spread: 12' USDA Zones: 4-8

Planting: 

Double Flowering Almonds can be planted in a range of soils in sun, part-shade and shade. (Mine is in part-shade.)

Care and Pruning: 

Borers can be a problem, so keep your tree healthy and strong to resist attack from these pests. Make sure your Double Flowering Almond has a regular application of some fertilizer and is watered during periods of extended drought. Other pests and problems include Black knot which can cause black swelling of the branches. Foliage is susceptible to powdery mildew, so locate your tree in a area with good air circulation. Do any pruning after your shrub flowers in late spring.

Deutzia x lemoinei 'Compacta': has an upright habit and white flowers in spring. Plant it in sun to part-shade in average garden soil. It likes growing conditions to be on the moist side. Height: 4-6', Spread: the same. USDA Zones: 4-8. No serious diseases or problems. Prune in spring after flowering.

A Lilac in a private garden in Georgetown, ON

Lilac: 

What's a garden without at least one lilac bush? I inherited several lilac bushes when we bought the house and have added more. The one I want to highlight today is a Dwarf Korean Lilac. Why? The fragrance of the flowers is simply amazing!

Dwarf Korean Lilac bloom in late spring with showy clusters of pale lavender flowers. The one I have in the front garden is almost ten years old and is just under 5'. Dwarf Korean Lilac can also be found as grafted standards. 

Height: 4-5', Spread: 4-5'. USDA Zones: 4-8.

Planting a Lilac: 
Plant a Dwarf Korean Lilac in early spring in well-drained soil. They do not like wet feet. Choose a sunny location that gets at least 4 to 6 hours of sun.

Pruning & Care:

A Dwarf Korean Lilac should only require watering during periods of drought. Lilacs are susceptible to powdery mildew, but I haven't had a big problem with powdery mildew so far.

I find my Dwarf Korean Lilacs requires less pruning than traditional lilacs. They bloom on growth from the previous year, so do any pruning after they flower in spring. Remove dead flowers and any diseased or crossing branches. After that, do a little pruning so the shrub keeps a nice shape.

A Fothergilla from the Toronto Botanical Gardens

Dwarf Fothergilla: A big reason this shrub makes it onto my list of favourites is that it provides 3 seasons of interest: white bottle-brush blooms in spring, green leaves in summer and orange leaves in fall. And it's also fragrant. Height: 2-6' depending on the cultivar. Spread: 4'-6'. USDA Zones: 5-8

Planting:

Plant a Dwarf Fothergilla in early spring in moist, well-drained slightly acidic soil. Sun or light shade.

Pruning & Care:

Prune primarily to maintain a nice shape after it flowers in spring.

My garden in June.

Weigela: is a classic shrub. My Mom had an old fashioned pink Weigela that was as dependable as you could ever wish for. The height may vary according to the cultivar you chose. Some Weigela can reach as high as 10' and spread about the same. They like full sun and will grow in a range of soil types, but like so many plants, they prefer well-drained conditions. Prune them after they flower in spring. USDA Zones: 4-8.

Potentilla: Like Spirea, Potentilla have a bad rap from their overuse in commercial landscaping, where they can look a bit dusty and forlorn. One of the reasons they are used in this type of setting is because they are tough as old boots. They can handle heat, drought and poor soil.

I have a white Potentilla and it is just the loveliest shrub. It starts blooming in June and continues to bloom into early fall. Think past the familiar yellow potentilla you see everywhere because, they also come in: white, pink, orange and red. Potentilla like poor soil and full sun. They flower on new wood, so I prune mine after the first flush of flowers in spring. Height and spread depend on the cultivar. My white Potentilla is about 3.5' x 4' and is vase shaped. USDA Zones: 2-7.

My garden in June.

Beauty Bush, Kolkwitzia: This is a really pretty shrub. A Beauty Bush has a fountain shape with branches that hang in long, sweeping arcs. Height: 8-10', Spread: 8-10' USDA Zones: 5-9.

Planting: 

Plant a Beauty Bush in full sun in average garden soil.

Pruning and Care: 

A Beauty Bush has no major pests or diseases. This shrub blooms on old wood so prune in spring after it flowers. Cut old canes to the ground to renew the shrub.

Golden Mock Orange, Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus' is a compact shrub with fragrant white flowers. The foliage starts off quite yellow and becomes greener over the summer. This shrub has an upright spreading habit and can be grown in moderately fertile, well-drained soil. Full sun to light shade. Prune after flowering as necessary and mature branches by one-third on older shrubs. Height: 6-10' Spread: 6-10' USDA Zones: 3b-8.

Golden Mock Orange has wonderfully fragrant flowers.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Quick Fire': The thing I like best about this hydrangea cultivar is its amazing transitions in color. The buds and first flowers are white. Then they blush into a deep rose.

Finally the rose fades into a warm beige in fall. Height: 4-5', Spread: the same. USDA Zones: 4-8.

Planting: Hydrangea paniculata 'Quick Fire' likes full sun and good loamy soil, but it will happily put up with average garden soil.  This cultivar is not as water dependant as some hydrangeas and will tolerate some drought.

Pruning:  Flowers are produced on new wood. Prune 'Quick Fire' in late winter or early spring.

Rose of Sharon, Althea

Despite being a magnet for Japanese Beetles, I can't imagine being without a Rose of Sharon. They begin to flower in the heat of summer long after most other shrubs have packed it in. 

Flower colors include blue, pink, lavender, and white. Bees and hummingbirds love Rose of Sharon. One drawback is their tendency to self-seed prolifically. 

Height: 8'-12', Spread: 6'-12'. USDA Zones: 5-11

A long view just to give you an idea of shape and size.

My Rose of Sharon

Planting:

Plant them in rich, well-drained soil in sun or very light shade. Rose of Sharon like the soil to be somewhat moist. Too little water may cause buds to drop.

Pruning & Care:

Add a layer of compost in spring and cover it with mulch to help the soil retain its moisture. Water your Rose of Sharon if there is less than an inch of rainfall in a given week. Rose of Sharon shouldn't require much pruning. They flower on the current year's growth, so prune for shape in early spring before leaf buds open.

 

Ninebark, Physocarpus opulifolius 'Dart's Gold': Most often these days you see Ninebark with dark burgundy or copper foliage being featured, so I thought I would highlight a golden-green Ninebark instead. 'Dart's Gold' has maple leaf-like foliage that start off in spring as a golden yellow and then ages into a deep lime-green over the summer. This shrub has small white flowers in clusters.

Height: 5-6', Spread: about the same. USDA Zones: 3-8.

Planting: Golden Ninebark needs full sun to very light shade (at least 6 hours of sun). Average garden soil is fine. Water regularly until your shrub is established.

Pruning: Reinvigorate the shrub each spring by removing some of the older branches at the base. Other than that, prune it after its flowers to maintain its shape.

What do you think? Are there any other shrubs that should have been added to my list?

Rain, rain don't go away...not just yet anyway!

Yesterday and today it rained. More rain is forecast for the early part of the weekend, but don't expect to hear any grumbling about miserable weekend weather from me. Just the opposite is true. I couldn't be happier! The garden needs the rain so desperately.  

Balloon Flowers peaking through the front fence.

Frans Hals, a great late blooming daylily.

Mid-summer Tiger Lilies.

Not everything is pretty. This poor Viburnum is pretty beat up.

This is one watering can that won't get any use for at least a couple of days.

Phlox

As you can see, my Rose of Sharon is still pretty tiny.

This is my favourite flower in the garden at the moment. I promise to find the plant tag and post its proper plant name by GBBD.

My hydrangeas have rallied quite nicely.

Thanks for the Lavatera seeds Marguerite!

Carefree Beauty Rose

There is just one little fellow who is a bit depressed that he can't go out and play.

Cheer up little buddy, the sun will be back in a couple of days.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Color Essay #8: Pretty in Pink

Pink can be dramatic...

and it can be subtle.

Dahlia in the field at Butt's Berry and Flower Farm, Rockwood Ontario.

It ranges in intensity from almost red to...

Buckets of lilies at the Kingston Farmer's Market.

soft pastel shades.

Farmer's Market flowers gathered into a white pitcher

Pink can stand all on its own.... 

The Garnet Garden, Oakville, Ontario. (see the garden here)

and it plays well with others.

Have you ever noticed someone at a garden center or nursery, standing in line with an odd or unusual purchase?

I remember seeing this well dressed couple, with a cart filled with rhododendrons and azaleas in full bloom, waiting to complete their purchase at the sales counter. I swear that they must have strolled down the nursery isle and randomly selected bushes that just happened to catch their eye, rather like they might have done if they were shopping for shoes or clothing. I am sure that their purchase decision was fueled primarily by the visual appeal of the bushes in full flower. Rhododendrons and azalea are spectacularly beautiful, after all! 

The azaleas, in particular, would be a challange to grow sucessfully here in Ontario. Our winters are harsh and our summers are hot and dry. Though I have not had great success with rhododendrons myself and am therefore no expert, I at least know from my failings, that rhododendrons need soil amendments to prosper. The fact that there was nothing in the cart, but the bushes themselves, lead me to think that the happy couple were complete novices about to make a potentially expensive mistake.

Not only novices fall prey to the allure of a flower in bloom. I have come home from the nursery, on more then one occasion, with an impulse purchase having been enticed by the arresting face of some winsome blossom who called out to me, "Buy me, I am so pretty!" 

I have been burned by these beauties so many times however, that I am a bit more cautious these days. I consult plant tags and consider growing conditions. If for instance, the plant needs lots of moisture, I give it a pass, no matter how attractive it is. 

I am also am more than little wary of unknown plants that could turn into nasty, hard-to-eradicate, garden invader. When in doubt, I consult one of the nursery personnel or pass altogether, until I have checked out a plant's references.

In today's post I have gathered pretty pink flowers from my own garden and elsewhere as noted, beautiful temptresses all.

The first pink flowers in my garden are bleeding hearts. (Dicentra spectabilis)

Another early summer beauty. Columbine (Clementine "Rose" Aquilegia)

Hollyhocks in the Lucy Maud Montgomery Garden in Norval, Ontario (see the garden here)

Bee Balm (Monarda 'Marshall's Delight') One of my favorite Bee Balms in my 

garden is this pretty pink variety.

Perennial Sweet Pea or Everlasting Sweet Pea (L. latifolius)

Everyone knows annual sweet peas. Well, this is the perennial version. I used to have it in my first ever garden and definitely want to add it to my current garden. 

Now, to be honest, perennial sweet pea can get a bit messy looking, and so it is a good idea to watch it carefully in spring and make sure that it is neatly restrained by its supporting trellis. Like the annual flower, it likes full sun. Unlike its annual cousin, it does not have a scent. I have read that it can self seed prolifically, but I have never had a problem with it. 

Lavatera in a Georgetown, Ontario garden (see the garden here)

My Mum used to grow this old fashioned annual. Last summer, I saw it growing in a private garden in the nearby Georgetown, and I was reminded just how pretty it is.  A cousin to Hibiscus and Hollyhocks, Lavatera has dark green foliage, and large blooms, that put on a great show all summer.

This is one of my prettiest daylilies.

(Papaver orientale)

I already have red oriental poppies, but I like these even better. I saw this soft pink variety at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton and think that they are stunning.

Oriental Lilies in my front garden.

A Rose of Sharon helps to keep pink going all summer long in this private garden in Kingston, Ontario.

Deep pink sedum flowers in my back garden.

In early fall, this Burning Bush initially became hot pink in color.

This is the third of my Stylish Blogger Award posts. This one goes out with my thanks to the blog Elly's Tuin. Elly gardens in the Netherlands, and though I am only just getting to know her, I think that she is someone who appreciates the soft beauty of the color pink.