Garden Design for Flowering Shrubs

GARDEN DESIGN

~ for ~

 Shrubs that Flower February through November

Looking at how you can create interest in the landscape all year round, the first characteristic we looked at was flowering.  We have put together an example of a design using only deciduous flowering shrubs that will give you color and interest from February through November.

 

This planting as shown would be appropriate for a sunny location although some morning or late afternoon shade would also work.  You may not have a planting area just like this but you could adjust it to fit your area or add the shrubs to an existing bed and still get the desired effect.

 

The Plants in the Design

In Sequence of Flowering

 

Hamamelis x intermedia

‘Jelena’-  Witch Hazel

This large spreading shrub brings color and fragrance to the late winter garden when most other plants are dormant.  It has beautiful yellow-orange, strap-like flowers with red cups along the branches from late winter to early spring before the leaves emerge.

Seasonal Interest Bonus: Fall color in shades of yellow, orange and red.

 

Viburnum plicatum tomentosum ‘Mariesii’- Doublefile Viburnum

This horizontally branched shrub produces double rows of white lace-cap flowers in the mid-spring. The flowers are held 2″ above the foliage making it very effective as it travels the entire length of the branch.

Seasonal Interest Bonus: Gorgeous reddish purple fall color and fruit starting red and turning black. Winter interest with clean grayish-brown branches and horizontal habit.

 

Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’

– Miss Kim Lilac

This strongly fragrant cultivar of lilac has light purple flowers mid to late spring. It is a compact grower and is resistant to mildew.

Seasonal Interest Bonus: Burgandy fall color

 

Spirea japonica ‘Walbuma’ Magic Carpet- Japanese Spirea

This compact shrub has lacy pancake-like clusters of glowing pink flowers in early summer. In the early spring the foliage comes out as brilliant orange-yellow new growth.  It then softens to orange blushed with chartreuse as it matures.

Seasonal Interest Bonus: Early spring foliage and great fall foliage color.

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’

This compact growing re-blooming hydrangea blooms from late spring through fall. It will give you gorgeous blue mop flowers throughout the summer.

 

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’- Tardiva Hydrangea

This variety of hydrangea is a late-flowering (early to late autumn) cultivar with loosely-packed sharply pointed white flower heads that turn purplish-pink with age.

Seasonal Interest Bonus: Yellow to purple-tinged fall color

 

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blushing Bride’

– Rose of Sharon

The flowers on this variety are very striking- starting off a rich pink and fading to white.  Growing 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide, this will make a beautiful specimen.