Physocarpus/Ninebark? Not usually multicolored leaves, but possibly they were different colors because it's autumn and they were turning?

Just a guess.

Alison

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Physocarpus info

I don't know Alison I looked these up online and they seem to get real big. This plant was small only about 2 feet high and it wasn't much bigger than 2 feet across. I was looking at the Darts Gold Ninebark on another link and I really think that this would look great with my Bronze Fennel. Does anyone know if this plant comes in a dwarf variety or is there anything similar to it that doesn't get so big? Also can we WS any of these?

Strouper

Strouper, your description made me think of Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Little Honey'. It only reaches 3 to 4 feet full grown, the leaves are oak shaped, and the summer color is yellow, and the fall color is red.

I tried to grow one last year, but they are only hardy to zone 5, and mine did not overwinter, but they should be fine in your zone.

Strouper, I winter sowed Physocarpus last winter, and got lots of seedlings, but only about half of them made it through the summer potted up. They're about a foot tall now. Some of those seeds I bought on ebay, and some I bought from Gardens North (a really excellent seed source, but not cheap).

I wondered if maybe the one you saw on the golf course wasn't fully grown yet. Did it have berries or fruit of any kind or flowers?

Could be oakleaf hydrangea too, but this time of year, wouldn't a hydrangea be blooming (and therefore more easily identifiable)?

Alison

I appreciate the input but it defiantly wasn't the Hydrangea this was way too simple of a plant. And I'm pretty sure that it was fully grown Alison because this course has been there for a long time but these could of replaced something from last year we did lose a lot around here. There wasn't any fruit or flowers that I saw, I'm fairly sure about this because they had another bush that I liked and it was also fairly simple with tree looking leaves but it had large berries all over it. They were the size of cherries in fact they looked almost just like cherries.
I had way too many flowers this year and the entire back of my wall is all grasses so I have kind of a hard time finding foliage plants that work. Most bushes wouldn't look right with the grasses (plus I hate most bushes including any type of fir or holly), I'm in full sun so that knocks out most of the annuals that I like and I'm working with a limited space. So I donÂt run across too many bushes that I like that will work. If anyone has any other small bushes that would fit my likes I'd love to hear about them. The only real chance that I get to see new & different plants is on the golf course and I really don't play as many courses as I used to.
Right now this are is about 500 Sq Feet and the only things in it, besides the grasses, that wouldn't be consider a flower are one chive plant and a bronze fennel. 10% of this area is perennials and the other 90% was annuals so you can imagine how much work it was to keep everything looking nice. I'd love to find a few small unique bushes that I can WS and plant in this area.

Strouper

I say go back and take a picture of the plant....bet they would let you...

I was pondering that webkat but the course is way out of my way so that's why I figured I try here 1st. Plus there are a bunch of plants out there that we never get to see so I figured I check with people here to see what some of their favorites are.

Strouper

Only think coming to my mind is possibly an immature species of Hawthorn (Crataegus)? Leaves are "maple" like on C. laevigata, C. phaenopyrum. C. nitida and on C. monogyna. One that looks almost "oak-like" is C. marshallii.

Vera

It's likely a dwarf or young Japanese Maple, they have many leaf forms and often the leaves are multicolored.

T

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese Maple Images

Abutilon has maple-shaped leaves - hence its common name flowering maple. There are variegated versions like 'Thompsonii'. It is a tender perennial however. I bring mine inside. A golf course might just plant them as annuals.
Deb