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Shrub that compliments Ninebark Summer Wine

11 years ago

Hi All,

I am planting a border along the chain link fence in my back yard on one side. What I have to date is 5 emerald green arborvitaes, and at the end of the row of them I planted a Ninebark summer wine shrub. If you are familiar with them they have burgundy foilage and pink flowers. I am looking for another shrub that would look good with it, but would not be taller than the summer wine. I had considered the Ninebark center glow, but it would get quite a bit larger than the summerwine and this is the last bush in the row, and I want the height to be the same or lower. I have also considered just planting another Summer Wine. The only other planting in the yard is a very large colorado blue spruce that takes up most of the space in the very back of my small narrow yard. Any suggestions would really be appreciated!

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Comments (9)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
11 years ago
Be aware that 'Summer Wine' can get quite large. Mine is about 8' x 8' and that is with a bit of harnessing. That's it behind my nootkatensis 'Green Arrow'

{{gwi:271723}}

Picea abies 'St. James' looks good against the ninebark's fall foliage.

{{gwi:271724}}

tj
katrina_ellen
Original Author
11 years ago
tsugajunkie-funny they say it only gets 5'x5'. That is gorgeous, that whole area is just beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Hopefully, my experience with Summer Wine was rare, but I mention it because of your damp spot comment. I removed a Summer WIne this year after it got fungus really really bad. The prior year or two, it had a handful of oddball looking leaves, but this year (after a super wet spring), it turned incredibly white with fungus. And the soil and area is average normal soil, nothing extreme. I removed it to protect two other Summer Wine's on the property. I consider my experience rare and as I said I am only bringing it up because of your wet conditions. The risk is there for problems. I would stick with something that absolutely likes wet conditions to increase your chances of success. removing failing plants is no fun.
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I also like Baptista Australis. It has attractive pea like foliage that has slight silvery blue tinge that would contrast nicely with the ninebark, and has purple flowers. It can get pretty big, so it wouldn't be overwhelmed, if that is one of your concerns. It might overwelm a small ninebark. Sea Holly would be attractive, but I'd be worried about it being invasive. Also not as big. Come to think of it, one of the Blue Hollies would look interesting with it. Great for Winter Interest. Or a variegated holly.
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Embothrium
11 years ago
It would look good seen against the blue spruce, it being purple and the spruce blue. If the amount of space where it is now has become a concern, maybe you can move it to where the spruce would be directly behind it.
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
11 years ago
LOL katrina_ellen, yep I situated mine with the idea of it being 5' x 5'. I usually take those sizes with a salt-lick's worth of salt but I didn't expect my 2'x 2' plant to do this in four years.

Bboy is right about the light backdrop. My driveway is to the left of the pic and as folks approach from that direction the light blue of my roof helps make it stand out...especially now that its so tall.

Other plants in the pic -Russian sage, Little Bluestem, Uproar zinnia, Crackerjack marigold and a celosia that reseeded for so many generations I'm not sure what it is now.

tj
katrina_ellen
Original Author
11 years ago
tsugajukie, thanks for the plant names. That combination of plants is like a work of art to me.
bboy, now you have me thinking - I love that spruce tree and would like to highlight it. The Ninebark is serving the purpose of screening - from the mess that is next door, but theres so many other options.
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
11 years ago
I have a Coppertina, which is a slightly different color, but the plants I have near it would also look nice with Summer Wine, though most of mine are large perennials the size of small shrubs rather than actual small shrubs. I also have blue spruce, some midsized rhododendrons, a variety of clematis with flowers in shades of pink and white, Amsonia hubrichtii (the feathery foliage looks great against the ninebark foliage), a chartreuse hosta, and Baptisia australis.
{{gwi:226220}}From June 2010
{{gwi:263537}}From June 5, 2012
katrina_ellen
Original Author
11 years ago
nhbabs - totally different look from the other picture posted but is so beautiful as well. Your plants look so healthy! For some reason I think "alpine" when I look at this photo. Thanks for posting.
whaas_5a
11 years ago
I was drawn in by that Amsonia hubrichtii. I search a bit more and found that same pic in a GW post last year and someone called it a weed! What?

Nice combo of plants TJ and nhbabs.

The Summerwine I had reached 5' after 4 years. If they have good moisture they grow pretty fast. A Coppertina I planted last year is now 5' wide. I'm convinced that they mean the plants can be controlled to 5' or 6'.

Coppertina is by far the most superior ninebark cultivar. The newly emerging copper like foliage against the dark purple foliage is absolutely stunning. Looks great on the initial flush as well as it literal glows against the tan bark.
whaas_5a
11 years ago
Oh and...several days later, Cool Splash looks real nice with Summerwine.

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