Flower Delivery UK 

The Florists Garden

Shrubs for all Seasons

Shrubs are the most important element of an all seasons garden. They range from hardy ground
hugging alpines to plants that reach the dimensions of small trees. 
Their woody stems and twiggy bushiness of character can often be used to give form and
shape to the garden even if they are bare if leaves in the winter.
  Other backbone shrubs contribute evergreen and ever changing foliage colour
interest and a passing show of wonderful flowers.

Below are a few must have shrubs in your garden.

Camellia - the most famous camellia of all Camellia sinensis bears small white flowers
 but it is cultivated for its leaves which is the source of our national beverage
- tea! Leaves are also prized in the garden for their luscious polished surfaces which shine
in the sunlight.  The delicate hues and oriental beauty of the flowers belie the hardiness
of the camellias.  Although early flushes can be damaged by frost, each bush bears a
 profusion of buds ready to take over time and time again between November
 and May depending on the variety.  Camellias can form a dramatic backdrop for the seasonal
 progression of flowering bulbs from snowdrops to Narcissus to Polyanthus and Tulips.
 Different cultivars provide different flower sizes, patterns and colours from the white
double petals of C.williamsii 'Jury's Yellow', to pastel pink C.williamsii 'Freestyle'
to the red and most common C. japonica

Choisya ternata - Mexican Orange Blossom - is an asset to any garden and forms
a bushy evergreen dome of shiny leaves with three leaflets.  Crush a leaf and
it gives off a wonderful rich scent.  In Spring and early summer the bush is adorned
 with clusters of sweet smelling white flowers which continue intermittently until the autumn.

Cornus alba - Dogwood - this form a thicket of bushy vertical stems C.alba 'Elegantissima'
has red stems in the winter and ling white and green variegated leaves whilst
its sister C.alba 'Spaethii' has yellow green stems with gold and green variegated leaves.
 Cut the stems back every three years and this will ensure that the coloured stems remain.
 The coloured twigs of these two shrubs are striking in a winters garden especially when
the ground is deck in snow.  Both shrubs display small white flowers in clusters throughout
the summer months.  The autumn leaves are also spectacular turning shades of yellow
orange and red with clusters of purple black berries - truly a shrub for all seasons.

Euonymous fortunei - the newly opening leaves of this evergreen are a rich creamy yellow
 but mature to a bright green with a broad creamy margin.  It works as a compact shrub
in a border but, grown against a wall, it will climb to 9 ft. Small greeny-white flowers
are produced in May and June. There are several varieties for instance E.fortunei Emerald and
 Gold had golden yellow and green leaves with a subtle pink tinge once winter sets in.

Fatsia japonica - a truly impressive shrub with huge glossy leaves.
Throughout the year their strongly shaped outline can transform a shady corner
into striking focal point.  In the autumn the Fatsia bears large branched clusters
 of round headed white flowers much like those of an ivy but these are much larger
 and more decorative.  They are followed by pea sized black berries arranged in spherical clusters.

Hebe pinguifolia - The spreading mats of blue-grey leaves hug the ground
and look great tumbling over a low sunny wall.  The foliage keeps is silvery
 appearance throughout the year and in late spring tiny white flowers add
sparkle to this beautiful groundcover.

Ilex - Holly - so many different varieties exist of this wonderful evergreen -
leaves are often spiky but display different shapes and colours. 
Berries can be orange red or yellow and there are also variegated varieties.
 Be sure to plant a male and female plant so they can cross pollinate
 so as to produce the wonderful berries.

Lavandula angustifolia - old English lavender - fragrant lavender though it originates
from the warmer climate of the Mediterranean regions is a favourite
in cottage gardens and in the grounds of stately homes. 
Its spikes of pale blue, red tinged flowers appear in July and August and its aromatic scent
 wafts across the garden for most of the year.  Crush the tiny silver grey leaves and
the aroma becomes more dramatic. Once the petals have fallen away you
are left with the blue stamens which are commonly collected to produce pot pourri
which can be brought into the home to bring in fragrance throughout the year.
 Besides blue there are also varieties with white and pink flowers .
 A border of lavender is dramatic next to a footpath or as a formal edging to a mixed shrub bed. 
Cut it back regularly to stop them lavender getting too woody and untidy.

Mahonia japonica - A great shrub especially in the winter when  its fragrant bracts
of yellow flowers shine through the winters gloom backed by glossy serrated dark
 green leaves.  Plant in a dark corner to brighten your garden.  When the flowers have faded
  the stems are decked with blue berries that remain until the summer changing to a purple colour.

Pernettya mucronata - one of the best berry-bearing shrubs it has large
clusters of marble sized berries throughout the autumn and winter and luckily birds
don't seem to like them.  berry colours vary from white to pink and through to purple. 
Plant them in drifts of various colours and include one or two male plants
 to ensure cross pollination.  The shrub itself is dark, dense and twiggy with small prickly,
glossy leaves on reddish stems and bears small heath like flowers in May and June.

Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin' - A wonderful display throughout the spring, summer and
autumn where brilliant flaming red leaves appear in the spring and slowly turn green by the
end of the summer. Small white flowers appear in late spring followed by red and black berries.

Pyracantha - so many different varieties of this great shrub exist its best to check
you get the right one.  From ground cover to tall lofty stems, evergreen leaves borne
on spiky stems create a super hedge or barrier.  Masses of tiny white flowers cover
the bush followed in the autumn with thousands of juicy berries - a favourite of the Blackbird.
 Different varieties produce different berry colours with P.rogersiana 'Flava' being yellow,
P. Mohave with ruby red berries and P. Orange Glow with vibrant orange berries.

Rosmarinus officinalis - The herb Rosemary with its pale blue lavender coloured flowers,
dark leaves and wonderful aroma. The leaves are powerfully aromatic when
crushed and the herb is a  must for the garden as well as the kitchen.
This shrub need a sunny, sheltered position and can form the basis for a Mediterranean
themed garden.  Flowers burst onto the plant in the spring and appear sporadically
through to September.  There are several varieties the best being
'Benendewn Blue and 'Miss Jessops' - some can grow to six feet.

Ruta graveolens 'Jackman's Blue' - The striking, compact foliage of this shrub
with its evergreen blue green leaves makes a great border plant.
 In early summer mustard yellow flowers appear which are not very attractive
 and should actually be remove as they distract from the lovely foliage.

Salvias officinialis - another hers - common sage.  This is a hardy evergreen
has grey green leaves and S.officinalis  'Purpurascens' has a purple tinge to the
leaves with the decorative white splashed leaves of S.officinalis 'Tricolor'
has a tinge of pink to the edge of the white and green variegated foliage.

Santolina chamaecyparissus - a small 2 ft tall rounded shrub of silver grey foliage. 
Lemon coloured mushroom shaped flowers cover the bush in July.They look particularly well
in a rose garden and give extra interest when the rose flowers have long disappeared.

Skimmia japonica - a great shrub to cut and use in flower arrangements.
It looks particularly good in April, May and the Autumn.  This shrub originated
in Japan - hence japonica - and has been in Britain since the 19th century when many
plants from the Far East were introduced by botanical explorers.  Its aromatic, glossy
foliage will brighten the darkest of days.  Rich creamy flowers deck the plant in the spring
followed by showers of holly like red berries.  The male form 'Rubella' does not develop
fruit but its leaves are faintly rimmed in crimson in cold weather. In late autumn and early
winter it bears clusters of blood red buds that burst into white red-anthered flowers in
early spring.  This plant is a must have for a florists garden.

Vinca major and Vinca minor - a large and small version of the same ground cover. 
This evergreen has green or variegated foliage with purple, blue and white flowers
depending on variety. The Periwinkle as it is commonly known, formed a garland
 to crown the heads of the condemned heading for the gallows in the Middle Ages.
 The delicate flowers appear in March to June and again in the autumn. 
These are fast spreading groundcovers and are aggressive and can take over a bed
if you are not careful - so make sure you cut it back occasionally or it will become leggy
and take over your whole flower bed.

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