Height: 80 cm (32 inches) Spread: 65 cm (24 inches) Bloom: white in spring Foliage: blue-green, textured Exposure: part shade Pluses: unusual flower, nice texture, fall colour It’s surprising that Fothergilla gardenii is not used more often in gardens. A small shrub, it bears white bottlebrush-like flowers in spring before leafing out. The small one-inch… Read more »
Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’
Height: 3 m (8-10 feet) Spread: 3 m (8-10 feet) Bloom: golden-yellow, early spring before foliage Exposure: Full sun Foliage:green Pluses: an early start to the season One of the first signs of spring are the bright golden yellow flowers of forsythia. ‘Spectabilis’ (Showy Border Forsythia) is hardy enough for zone 5 so most years… Read more »
Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ (Dwarf Burning Bush)
Height: 1.2 m (4 feet) Spread: 1.2 m (4 feet) Bloom: small yellow-green in early spring Foliage: medium green with brilliant scarlet fall colour Berries: small red berries persist through winter Exposure: full sun to part shade, best fall colour in full sun Pluses: shape, ease of care, brilliant red fall colour A must have… Read more »
Crataegus spp. (Hawthorn) — Native
Height: 9 m (30 feet) Bloom: white Fall Colour: none Fruit: yes, red Hawthorns are easy to distinquish as a native tree by their long thorns, flat-topped clusters of white flowers and small red or yellow fruit. It is more difficult however to identify the specific species for a hawthorn. Hawthorns in a natural setting… Read more »
Cornus alba ‘Ivory Halo’ (Dogwood)
Height: 1.5 m (5 feet) Spread: 1.5 m (5 feet) Bloom: small cream, unnoticable Exposure: Full sun to part shade Foliage: variegated, green with white edge Pluses: foliage, winter interest, small size Cornus alba ‘Ivory Halo’ is a four season dogwood. It has distinct red stems for winter interest but also has the advantage of… Read more »
Cephalanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush)
Common Names: Buttonbush, button willow, honey plant Zone: 5 to 9 Plant Type: Deciduous shrub Height: 3 m (10-12 feet) Bloom: creamy white in August Habitat: full sun to part shade in moist to wet soils Fall Colour: none I first saw a buttonbush in bloom while on vacation in Nova Scotia. Hundreds of fuzzy… Read more »
Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’
Height: 1 m (3 feet) Spread: 1.25 m (4 feet) Bloom: Small fragrant pink blooms in spring Exposure: Full sun to part shade Foliage: in my zone 5 semi-evergreen, variegated Pluses: fragrance, variegated semi-evergreen foliage Carol Mackie Daphne is one of the most fragrant plants in bloom I have come across. Small pink flowers cover… Read more »
Berberis thunbergii ‘Sunsation’ (Sunsation Barberry)
Height: 125 cm (4 feet) Spread: 125 cm (4 feet) Bloom: yellow flowers in spring, very small Exposure: Full sun to part shade Foliage: new growth golden yellow with a more orange cast in fall Pluses: foliage colour, long season Barberries are a wonderful foliage plant that can provide great contrast in the garden. They… Read more »
Best Red Fall Colour
If you are looking for some brilliant red fall colour to add to your landscape nothing beats the Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ or ‘Compacta’ otherwise known as Dwarf Burning Bush. Bright green leaves in summer turn to a brilliant red in fall lasting several weeks. After the leaves have finally fallen you are rewarded with red-orange… Read more »
Berberis thunbergii ‘Concorde’ (Concorde Barberry)
Height: 50 cm (18 inches) Spread: 50 cm (18 inches) Bloom: yellow flowers early spring, very small Exposure: Full sun to part shade Foliage: small deep purple burgundy, reddish burgundy in fall Pluses: foliage colour, long season as foliage remains until late fall Barberries are a wonderful foliage plant that can provide great contrast in… Read more »