Featured Plants : bushes

Austrian Copper Roses Bloom Early

patti-nhn — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:56:00 GMT

The first thing that got my attention with this Austrian Copper rose was the coloring of the blooms. This bush blooms in spring and often before other roses have started to bloom. The blooms are a bright coppery orange on the inside and gold on the outside as well as having a moderate fragrance. Their foliage is attractive and will have 5 to 7 leaflets per each leaf. It is so popular that it has been said to be the most grown species in the world!

The Austrian Copper rose will mature from 6 to 8 feet tall and being a vigorous grower it may only take a couple of years to get to 6 to 7 feet tall. This rose requires full sun, can tolerate poor soil and can be grown in zones 5 to 7. They are winter hardy and have an average disease resistance. It is best not to prune as it dislikes pruning. It can make a great hedge if allowed to sucker. This is a beautiful rose that is very popular and hardy and would do well in any garden space on its own or with other types of roses or plants.

Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea Elegant And Showy

patti-nhn — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT

The Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' is an elegant and showy full sized Hydrangea. There are many types of Hydrangeas and the Snow Queen is one of the best! It has lots of showy sterile florets. The florets are single and so not as likely to cause the stems to be weighed down. Instead the stems will stand upright and strong.

The Snow Queen will be more compact instead of sprawling out like some varieties. This allows the blooms to really show off. The fall color is spectacular in deep reddish purple hues. Because of its upright habit these would be exceptional cut flowers in vases on their own or with green foliage placed among them or with a rainbow of colors of other hydrangeas or any colorful flower. We think this Snow Queen Hydrangea is a plus in any garden.

Harry Lauder's Walkingstick - Great Winter Interest

patti-nhn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:01:00 GMT

This Harry Lauder's Walkingstick 'Corylus avellana 'Contorta' is an interesting bush that is said to be named after a man named Harry Lauder, who was a Scottish comedian that used a crooked branch as a cane when he performed his act. The branches of this tree curl and bend in shapes that are often referred to as looking like a corkscrew.

They are especially decorative in the fall and winter after they lose their leaves and you can see the branches clearly. It is an attractive bush with it's green foliage that turns to yellow in the fall. In the spring it flowers with yellowish brown catkins that are similar to Pussywillows. Like Pussywillows the branches of the Harry Lauder's Walkingstick can also be used in flower arrangements. This is a nice tall 6-8 foot bush that will spread out 4-6 foot wide. It requires full sun and is hardy to zones 5-8.

Smokebush - Golden Spirit Has Lots Of Spirit For Your Landscape

patti-nhn — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:53:00 GMT

The Golden Spirit Smokebush Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit'' is a great addition to your landscape. They are good sized and very dense so could make a good border or screen as well. They can grow to 8 foot tall by 6 foot wide. One of the things that makes it stand out is its lime green to brilliant gold color. In the fall it boasts shades of red, orange and coral. This Smokebush won a Gold Medal in 1999 in Holland as the "Best New Plant Introduction".

You will want to make sure to plant it in full sun and it can tolerate dry soil. It shoots out white blossoms in June to July with long plumes of smoky-white flowers (therefore the reason for Smoke in the name). It is deciduous so will lose its leaves in winter. It is a tough bush that will stand up to temperature extremes as well although the colder temperatures of 25 degrees below zero could cause it to die back. The puffs of smoke on the plumes are a very attractive addition in your garden.

Elizabeth Bush Anemone A California Native

patti-nhn — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:46:00 GMT

The Elizabeth Bush Anemone Carpenteria californica 'Elizabeth'' is a California native that does well in the West Coast states. It is a drought tolerant plant and you will want well drained soil. It is an evergreen in the west coast and it blooms with fragrant clusters of white flowers with yellow centers in late spring/early summer. They resemble Anemone flowers. This bush is said to be used as a symbol for some festivals and holidays around the world.

The shape of the shrub is dome shaped which gives it a wonderful appearance in your landscape. The old bark of the bush will peel off to a yellowish tan bark. The height of this bush will be approximately 5 feet and it will spread out to the same 5 feet. It can take sun or shade and has low water needs. You may also want to prune back after flowering for more vigorous growth. It might be worth trying in milder Eastern climates of the United States but is mostly found in the Western states.

Rainbow Pillar Serviceberry Perfect For Screens And Hedges

patti-nhn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for a great hedge or screen for your landscape, the Rainbow Pillar Serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis 'Glennform' is a wonderful choice. It is a good sized bush as it can grow up to 20 feet tall and has an 8-10 foot spread. It is a new serviceberry cultivar from Ohio. The growth is considered moderate which would be approximately 1 to 2 feet a year. The bush does grow upright which helps with the height as opposed to other bushes that grow mostly outward to the sides.

It is a great year round bush. In the spring the Rainbow Pillar will shoot out white flowers and the foliage is dark green. It has great fall color with its leaves showing off in orange-red shades. It also produces edible fruits that are attractive and also enjoyed by birds. This bush is mildew-resistant which is a big plus. It is best planted in full sun and is hardy from zones 4 to 8. This is a popular bush for its versatility in the landscape.

Holly-Winter Red The Queen Of Fruiting Shrubs

patti-nhn — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:30:00 GMT

The Holly-Winter Red Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' also called Winter Red Winterberry is the Queen of fruiting shrubs. It is a female shrub so it does need a male to pollinate. The Ilex 'Southern Gentlemen' is the recommended pollinator for the Winter Red to obtain the bright red fruits that are fairly large and beautiful to behold. Birds love the fruits as well so if you are a birdwatcher this would be a great addition to your garden. The foliage is bright green and will turn bronze in the fall. The leaves will last until late in the fall when they will drop off and really expose the bright red berries. It is truly an ornamental shrub and would make a great border plant.

This Holly is hardy to zones 4-9 and requires full sun. It will need some room to grow as it will mature from 6 to 9 feet tall and can spread up to about 8 feet wide. It is a round shaped bush that does best in moist soils but is widely adaptable to soils. It can often be found in the woods or swampy areas. It is truly a delight to behold into the wintertime and all year round.

Want Some Snowflakes In Summer?

patti-nhn — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:12:00 GMT

I am not a winter person. Give me spring and summer all year long and I would be happy. I will admit to admiring some snowstorms as they can be really beautiful; if I'm home and not on the roads anyway. If they are clogging the streets, that's another story. I would prefer to see those pretty snowflakes in some other way. So this Summer Snowflake Viburnum bush Viburnum plicatum 'Summer Snowflake' is a snowflake I like. The common name for this Summer Snowflake is actually called a Doublefile Viburnum, you may have heard of it under that name.

This Viburnum will flower on horizontal stems with a double row of blooms covering the whole plant. The blooms will grow profusely throughout the summer. The way the blooms lay out on the bush can make it look something like a wedding cake. The berries that grow after the flowers have faded will attract birds if you are a bird watcher. The leaves will also turn a rusty red to bronze in the early fall.

The Summer Snowflake grows in zones 5-9 and prefers well drained soil and full to partial sun. It can grow from 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide making it a nice compact shrub. A good place in your landscape to plant this might be at an entryway or on each side of a walkway. If you want snowflakes in the summer, this is your shrub!

Taunton Spreading Yew Graceful & Lovely

patti-nhn — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:16:00 GMT

Evergreen shrubs are almost a staple in a lot of landscapes because of their beauty, the fact that they stay green all year and they are wonderful complementary background or foreground color for other plants that are placed around them. They make a great hedge as well.

The Taunton Spreading Yew taxus x media 'Tauntoni' is a dark green evergreen that has short needles. The height is maintainable at 3 to 4 foot tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. They can be pruned back as needed. Neither summer heat nor winter burn should bother these shrubs as they are resistant to them. They are a very hardy plant! They can be planted in zones 4-7 and require full to partial sun. They are a somewhat slower growing plant than some other Yews but if you have the patience, they are worth the wait. These would also be a good plant for beginning gardeners.

White Snowberry Shrub Sports Blue-Green Foliage

patti-nhn — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:37:00 GMT

Blue is my favorite color so I tend to gravitate towards blue flowers or blue foliage as often as my husband will let me. Technically, I haven't started planting much yet as we are still trying to decide what we want to do. We have been in the house a year but we are still being surprised by what has already been planted and we need to work around those plants.

This White Snowberry is one that I think I would really like to try. It's foliage is a beautiful blue-green which is something I'm not sure I have seen before. In July it blooms with pink flowers, then in autumn it puts out an abundance of white berries! Many birds are attracted to the berries on the shrub including hummingbirds and even pheasants.

It grows to a nice tall height of 5-6 feet and spreads 3-6 feet so would work nicely as a hedge as well as on its own. It prefers partial sun and grows from zone 3-7. For color and an unusual plant, the White Snowberry would work well.