Great Shrubs For Spring Color

My garden relies heavily on shrubs and small trees for spring color; nothing in the landscape is easier or more reliable to produce swathes of fresh, bright foliage and lovely flowers.Shrub border by the patio, April 2016

The azaleas have been gorgeous, though most of their blooms are past their prime now. The bright red-orange azalea in the following photo is the evergreen Karume azalea 'Hershey Orange.'

'Autumn Fire' is a new Encore azalea recently planted by the parking area in front of the house. Although it is fabulous in the fall, it is just as spectacular in spring:Encore 'Autumn Fire' azaleas bloom in front of dwarf Yaupon Holly.

Viburnum macrocephalum, commonly called Chinese Snowball Viburnum, is another shrub blooming prolifically at present:

Behind and to the right of the Snowball viburnum in the image above is Philadelphus, commonly called Mock Orange or English Dogwood, just beginning to bloom:

Next to the patio is this lovely weeping lace leaf Japanese maple:

Most of my roses are low-maintenance, work horse type roses, but I think they are all beautiful. They are just beginning to bloom in the front garden. Here are a couple:Rosa 'Mutabilis', also called butterfly rose

Rosa Rugosa 'Alba'

Caryopteris incana 'Jason' glows near the patio. Later this summer it will have blue flowers that attract butterflies:

Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku', also called Coral Bark Maple, grows in the arbor garden:

Spreading Yew is another favorite in the woodland garden. I love how its lime green new growth contrasts with its darker bluish-green needles:

Cryptomeria japonica 'Tansu' is a dwarf Japanese cedar in the woodland garden. It has stiff, somewhat prickly evergreen foliage:

Here are more of my favorite shrubs for foliage:Clockwise from top left: Variegated osmanthus; Pieris japonica; Juniper 'Saybrook Gold'; Variegated Japanese pittosporum; Sambucus 'Lemony Lace'; Spirea 'Goldflame'; Variegated hydrangea; Deodar cedar 'Feelin' Blue.'

Finally, I am enjoying the sweet honeysuckle fragrance and pretty blooms of deciduous azaleas in the woodland garden. I have planted several varieties so that they will be blooming at different times from now into summer:

Fothergilla: A Shrub For Year Round Interest

I was smitten the first time I ever saw fothergilla. I bought it early one summer for its leathery, blue-green leaves. Fothergilla is deciduous, and that fall I was delighted when those leaves turned first to buttery yellow and then through shades of orange, scarlet, and purple.The next spring I experienced the delightful form and honey fragrance of its showy, bottlebrush type flowers.The flowers appear from April to May on branch tips just as new leaves are unfurling. Fothergilla truly is a shrub with multi seasonal interest.

Fothergilla is also called witch-alder, and it is in the same family with witch hazel. It is easy to see the resemblence, especially in the leaf stucture. There are two forms of fothergilla, both native to the Southeast from North Carolina to southern Alabama and into parts of Florida. Fothergilla major grows to about ten feet.The dwarf form is Fothergilla gardeneii, growing to about three feet. There are a number of cultivars available, developed to promote the native's various characteristics. 

Given the right environment, fothergilla is an easy-care plant. It is deer resistant and relatively pest free. It grows well in full sun to partial shade. Both flowering and fall color is better with a bit more sun. Because it blooms in spring on old growth, you should prune right after it finishes blooming. If you prune later than that, you will be cutting off the next season's buds. Generally, it doesn't need much pruning, except to remove unwanted suckers around the base or to remove dead wood.This fothergilla major is growing in my woodland garden. It has a loose, airy form. With more sun it probably would have a denser structure. Fall color is just beginning to show in a few leaves. Growing in hardiness zones 5-9, these shrubs make great additions to the woodland garden and to the shrub border. They make fine specimen plants. They do well in the same environment as rhododendrons and azaleas, and they like moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Their roots should be kept cool, and I add pine straw mulch around the base of mine each spring. Newly planted specimens should be watered weekly, more often in very hot weather.

Fothergilla doesn't get the press it deserves and is under appreciated. When I mention it, many people have never heard of it. It is not always easy to find, but species plants as well as beautiful cultivars are available. It is worth the search.