I love the Oakleaf Hydrangea too ...(and thanks for the great pics) .... have but one, and over the years its' dappled shade location has become more deep shade, thus every year is a little different, but this fall it is again living up to expectation.

Shrubs/trees are different here in the South - my crepe myrtles are now a story and a half tall and after a summer of providing welcome shade to my west facing windows, their brilliant yellow fall foliage brightens up every day, no matter how overcast the sky.

Another fave is my one little fothergilla - the fall foliage is an indescribable coral pinky-yellowy shade, just so pleasing to the eye and a perfect staccato touch nestled among the evergreen gardenias & azaleas.

All the leaves are falling at warp speed here now - it's been a perfect autumn (and still no hard freeze here yet, very late) - and while I'll miss the foliage, I do look forward to next spring when it starts all over again!

zigzag: We've had a great fall in Virginia too, but it's COLD now. I doubt we'll have a frost tonight, but it won't be long.

I agree with you about fothergilla -- it's a lovely shrub with fragrant flowers and fabulous fall color. Forgiving too.

This spring, I started work on a 75' x 6-8' bed along the driveway to the house entrance. I planted 5'Heritage' river birches. Around these trees, I planted are several Fothergilla and Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet" shrubs. The site is challenging because the wind blows almost constantly. Everything struggles to survive, and it usually takes a year or two before I know if new plants will make it.

The 'Henry's Garnet' has lovely brilliant red-purple color that hasn't ended. In spring, the white flowers are fragrant so it's a good choice for the entrance to a house. The fothergilla has white fragrant flowers too - they look like bottlebush clusters. Fall color is drop-dead gorgeous - yellows, golds, with red and purple. I planted 6-8 of each. They survived the first year so I'm hoping they make it next year.

I'm looking for 'Snowflake' Oakleaf Hydrangeas - reportedly beautiful flowers and fall color. Also, Calycanthus floridus (Carolina allspice). Do you have experience with either?

Oh, that is lovely thyme2dig! I like how the edges get a dark purple/back color. I think I remember you said on another thread that you were putting a lot of new shrubs in recently...it must look very nice.

In my yard, the Flame Maples (Acer ginnala 'Flame') are the show stoppers when it comes to fall foliage color. There are eight around the yard. Several are orange/red, while a few others have different colors like yellow and russet/brown. The Snowball bush is also very pretty.

This fall I bought dwarf White European Birch. It has lacy, pendulous foliage that turns a bright gold in fall. And it will only get to about four feet tall! My ex-neighbor had one and I loved the texture it provided.

But my favorite shrub is Coral-Berry, Symphoricarpos doorenbosii 'Kordes' (aka 'Amethyst'). It has bubblegum pink berries that hang on the shrub well into winter. So cute.
CMK

Yes, I love my oak hydrangea also; but too bad I planted it on the neighbor's property by mistake about six years ago, about 2' over the line. All those years I thought those big pines were mine, new neighbors brought it to my attention they were not. Sigh. I had planted the hydrangea beneath them and it has flourished. Thankfully, they enjoy the big white blooms too so don't mind all that much.

thyme2dig, the leaves on yours are gorgeous.

ZZ-big thumbs up for Fothergilla! I planted a few teeny ones last year and they haven't done much yet. After planting a crazy amount of shrubs this year (in the new area CMK mentioned) and swearing I wasn't going to buy another one, I was wandering a nursery and a large, beautiful Fothergilla just JUMPED into my car! I tried to stop it, but alas, it had to come home with me! LOL! What outstanding color and flowers!

Pam, that border sounds like it is going to be absolutely gorgeous! Your Itea and Fothergilla with the white birch must look amazing in the fall. Do you have any pictures you can post? I hope the shrubs make it through the wind you mentioned. Are you worried about the trees making it too, or just the shrubs?

I don't have 'Snowflake'. I have Sinocalycalycanthus, both 'Hartlage Wine' and 'Venus'. I would imagine they behave quite like Calycanthus floridus would. They're a hybrid of the Chinese and native Calycanthus. I did see a 'Hartlage Wine' in eastern VA and it was probably at least 15' tall. Mine after a number of years is only about 5'. I'm hoping to prune it more into a multi-stemmed small tree as opposed to leaving it shrub-like. The leaves were huge and waxy-green, it was covered in flowers and then it turned a beautiful yellow in the fall.
Here are a couple pictures. I would think if the native Allspice acts somewhat like this, you can't go wrong.

CMK, do you have any pictures of your Acer ginnala? I have been thinking about planting one and would love to see a picture in your yard. How long have you had them and how big are they getting?
My symphoricarpos was languishing in too much shade. I do like those pink berries too! I'm hoping it will like its new sunnier spot better since I moved it this year.

Schoolhouse, thank goodness those new neighbors can appreciate a good shrub when they see one!

Thyme, your oakleaf is gorgeous! The leaves almost look like a fine leather. And thanks for the reminder! Haven't had any luck finding a dwarf oakleaf locally, so I need to finalize an order with Lazy S'S Farm.

Zigzag, I noticed the bright yellow/orange leaves on our oldest CM today. Half the reason I planted a couple Natchez White this year was for the cinnamon bark and beautiful fall foliage.

Pam, I planted a Henry's Garnet this year and plan to get a few more next. May not have a lot of summer interest, but it wows in the spring and fall.

The majority of the mature shrubs in my yard are Formosa azaleas, gardenias, plumbago, and ligustrums. I just really started branching out this year with a few others and plan to continue. Perennial flowers are wonderful, but I'm beginning to appreciate the beauty and ease a nice supply of shrubs bring to gardens.

Oh Thyme, what a beautiful colour.

Libby

I'm drooling at the beautiful pics here which are, furthermore, confirming I need more shrubs with Fall interest, sigh... Fall is my favorite season in the garden and I'm always looking for things that look good at this time of the year.

We are having a milder than usual Fall here, so color has been evasive so far. Still, this past week temperatures dropped a bit at night and the colors of some shrubs seem to have awakened. Looking good in their Fall attire at the moment are viburnum opulus, Royal Purple smoke bush, serviceberry (amelanchier) and crape myrtle. The colors are incredible against the other dark evergreens nearby.

The sweet gum is finally showing some decent color, in the few leaves that still haven't fallen. This hasn't been a good year for it due to excessive heat, but in previous years it has been gorgeous. The little Himalayan birch I grew from seed also put in a nice show of yellow leaves, despite being so small.

In the evergreen side, the pyracantha hedge is a sight for sore eyes and I have just added some more ruscus racemosa to the garden. Are you familiar with this shrub? It's naturalized in my neck of the woods and lovely, lovely during Fall and Winter, with its red berries glowing amidst the evergreen foliage.

I need to get myself some fothergilla and oakleaf hydrangea...

Eduarda

We went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden this week to look at shrubs in their late fall stages. I was proud it was my DH's idea!! He loved the purplish leaves of the oakleaf hydrangea. I had planned to put them in a site that needs little care except in fall, so I know he'll want to go back and see them when they look purple. It's a good plan!
The fothergilla were another of his favorites. So I noted that.
Some plants looked HORRIBLE and I noted those if I wanted them previously. Clinging brown shriveled leaves that were in no way ready to come off. I know, for example to look for an alternative cultivator of Witch hazel than they were growing, it was just not right for the smaller garden setting.

Right now I'm researching some evergreen shrubs for a nice line of division. Nothing too tall, but could possibly be edible and also take poor drainage/seasonal flooding. I had a new idea today to add yet another room to the garden (Not that I currently have any, but there are plans :) - another vegetable garden bordered by fruit, on the way out to the native and wild herb/cultivated weed garden.

GGG

natal: If you plan to order from Lazy S, act soon! After reading these posts, I placed an order with them last night. The storefront page said they ship from June thru November. On another page was a message that they would resume shipping in the spring. I placed the order and asked for clarification.

thyme: Thanks for the pics of Sinocalycalycanthus - I wasn't familiar with it but the photos are lovely. I'll check it out. No photos of the new bed yet. The plants are small but I'm hoping they will grow happily once they settle in. I used drip irrigation to get them off to a good start.

girlgroupgirl - you planning another garden room? I love that idea! I have 5 1/2 acres, most of it is a blank screen. I'm trying to organize it into rooms, but not having much success.

One of my favorite evergreens is the Prague Viburnum. It grows fast and is fragrant in late winter / early spring when most things are dormant. Floridata says it's "the perfect hedge for the impatient gardener." I ordered 3 more from Lazy S last night.

Pam, I was waiting for the fall shipping to end before ordering for spring. I guess it's time. Thanks!

I have almost an acre and will divide things up. You don't need to have "walls" that are tall. Even lower shrubs really help.
When I think of "rooms" I think of local garden designer Ryan Gainey. He's divided up each of his gardens, slightly themed into similar sized spaces. It helps keep things organized and since he is a stickler for symmetry this helps him design, I think. For me it is about repetitive form (which I need to remember to keep doing, I tend to repeat color and forget form) and organization of usefullness and ease. I started with one "room" full of vegetable beds, and then another opposite it now in a fairly similar size (it is larger, but makes sense on the lot, especially with the house). The next area will be the same size as the 2nd - repeating the size and a round feature in the middle, also repeating the enclosure of the space and arched entrances. Shrubs will help define each area to help the eye feel like it is in it's own space.

Ryan Gainey uses a lot of spirea. I like spirea a lot, and it is very cost efficient - however it has no fall color here. I'd like to get a little something extra from the shrub...flowers, fall color (or evergreenness).

-thyme2dig, they are about 12 to 15 feet tall right now, though I think they can get much bigger. They could be around 20-25 years old. I read somewhere that they are considered invasive in some places because of the reseeding. I get quite a few seedlings, but the soil here is so hard packed that they don't grow fast and are easy to pluck out. I just love them though! I can't find a picture, which is really frustrating because I am certain I had one! I am not going crazy, I know it is around here somewhere. Maybe it is still on my camera. Once I hunt it down I can e-mail it to you, if you are interested. ;-)

Oh! That is good to know about Lazy SS. I have been thinking of ordering from them but was going to wait a few months. Now I am going to do it soon! Thanks.
CMK

Agree on fothergilla, a beautiful shrub in the spring with its white flowers and in the fall with its orange-red leaves.

Witch hazels also have magnificent foliage. I forget the cultivar of mine, perhaps Jelena, but the fall color is just spectacular.

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Also have both an itea which I think needs more sun and an oakleaf hydrangea. Another addition to the hydrangea is that the old dried flower stalks keep their form pretty well into the all--although this year a couple of weeks ago, 6+ inches of rain pretty much beat most of the leaves and dried flowers off mine.

susan/thyme,
Your [ictures ae beautiful. I know from your posts that you love fall. Fall is so beautiful here in the northeast, that I think almost everything in the garden is a pale comparison to the towering maples,oaks and elms. But you may remember from a long thread on the New Eng forum last summer called "ordinary plants/ extraordinary results" or something like that that you posted photos of your slope of ordinary plants. I was going to email you this summer with my own slope of ordinary plants that was so inspired by yours. The roses and barberries (!! -- I know, I know) and other baby plants were beautiful. I extended the bed 10 feet and prepped it for the oakleaf hydrangea that will be next spring's addition there. All over the roads here in August they were in bloomed in gorgeous profusion nodding their blowsy white heads. Too much! And then the bonus is that bright fall color. Now that's a workhorse I can admire, a full and green filler(and with interesting leaves) in spring, beautiful summer flowers, and great fall color.
lucia

Eduarda, I usually go by latin names, but I'm not sure I know what ruscus racemosa is?? Is the common name poet's laurel? I think my mom in NC has some of that, but I have never taken notice of it. I don't think it would be hardy for me. I'd love to see a picture if you have one.

I remember you posted about Pyracantha on a thread about fruit and it is on my list for next year. Thanks for mentioning it again. They are so very nice.

GGG, I'm curious to know what you noted as HORRIBLE at the botanical garden. I wonder if other merits of the particular shrub/tree in other seasons would give it a "pass" for looking lousy in the fall.

I did come across a Juniper 'Gold Cone' in a magazine that looks very interesting. It does not require pruning and is narrow and only gets to be about 5-6' tall. It may work for you. It said that it could take "poor soil" but I'm not sure about wet. How does Inkberry (Ilex glabra)do down there? That might be a pretty shrub to use and it can take a more wet environment. Or what about Leucothoe?

Bummer the spiraes don't get any fall color for you. That is a nice shrub to form hedges and we have a hedge starting in a rather wet area and they are doing well.

Pam, thanks for mentioning Prague Viburnum. I planted a bunch of different Viburnum varieties in the backyard this year and Prague somehow did not make it on my list. I just looked it up again and I'll definitely be adding one next year!

CMK, I am definitely interested in a photo if you can find one. But don't go crazy over it!! LOL!!!

Natal, I agree with you that perennials are great, but you're right that shrubs do make for a beautiful border with very little care. Plus if they're close enough together, no weeding!! (although I do the same with perennial borders)

Ncville, what is planted to the right of your witch hazel?

Silver, thanks for remembering my slope! It was quite a project and I am very pleased with how it shaped up. Please post a picture of your slope! I'm glad you found that thread helpful in your planning. Unfortunately barberries were moved onto the "bad-boy" list in NH and I don't think I have stopped mourning over it (and its been a few years now LOL!). Crimson Pygmy barberry is by far one of my favorite shrubs. Such a dark burgundy in the summer and then it gets a great orang-ish color in the fall.

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What shrubs does everyone like for spring and summer interest that work well in a cottage garden? Here are a few that I really like. Please add to the list. I'm always on the lookout for shrubs!

Dwarf alberta spruce--in a footloose, fancy-free cottage garden I find this adds a little order and winter interest.

Dwarf flowering almond--I have the double and it is such a beautiful flower in the spring, then just fades into the background in the summer with nice green foliage allowing annuals or perennials to shine.

Roses, of course!

I think spireas work well in a cottage garden. I like bridalwreath spirea because it's a little taller and has cute white flowers. I also like the japonica and bumalda spireas.

I actually just came across a dwarf rose of sharon this year. Hibiscus syriacus 'Antong Two'. it's labeled as Lil' Kim Rose of Sharon. It's not supposed to get more than 3'! I'm pretty excited about this one and I hope it does well.

Susan

It's official - Lazy S will not ship until spring. I placed an order on Friday, received this email tonight:

"Your order has been received and will be shipped USPS Priority Mail according to your USDA Planting Zone (or later date if you prefer): The WEEK of: April 12th

thyme: You will love it. Prague Viburnum is hardier than its parents and other evergreen viburnums.

GGG: Since you are looking for evergreens, you may want to consider Leucothoe populifolia, AKA Coastal or Florida Leucothoe or Pipestem (Agarista populifolia). I needed an evergreen shrub with a relaxed form for a semi-shaded area. It needed to be substantial enough to act as screen and semi-windbreak. Evergreen, fragrant white flowers. (link below)

Available from Mail Order Natives and Lazy S.

Here is a link that might be useful: Agarista populifolia

Susan, the plant to the immediate right of the witch hazel is a Gulfstream nandina. The plant will get a wonderful red coloration to the leaves once we actually get colder temps here this winter. Still haven't had a killing frost yet and I still have a brugmansia, two clematis, several salvias, and delosperma cooperi in bloom here.

Thanks Nckville. Nandina in one of those plants I have definite zone envy over. I really didn't recognize it in your photo as Nandina. It's such a compact variety. What a nice shrub. It says Z6, but I may just try to push the limit with that one in a protected area.

No problem Susan. I have three other Gulfstream nandinas here on the property that have been in for about 10 years now. They are much taller and already have more of the typical winter color.

I have very old Nandinas here. They were probably planted in the 60s or earlier. I cut them all down last winter and they regrew beautifully this year. Mine are the species most likely. The berries germinate easily.

Wiping drool off my keyboard...... LOL!!!

That does it! I'm definitely going to plant at least one next year to see if it will survive. I'm in NC every April, so I know what will be on the top of my shrub shopping list while I'm there.

thyme, nandinas are supposedly cold hardy through zone 6. The seeds from mine ripen in mid to late winter. They start sprouting in early spring. A few hungry birds will spread the seeds. If you want some, let me know. As you can see, I have plenty to go around.

In our zone, these older plants are considered invasive. You can't kill them. They just won't die. Cut them down and they regrow within a couple months. Burning them just makes them stronger. I've learned to live with them rather than hate them. They do add a lot of winter interest considering their color changes a lot in the winter.

Firepower is a cultivar that does not set seed and has bright red foliage in the fall. New growth in the spring is nice and bright green. I don't care for the variety because the leaves tend to warp and distort.

Thyme, when you're shopping, there are four varieties you'll find here for sale.

1) firepower. Also comes in a dwarf variety.
2) Gulf Stream. It has the nice red/green foliage nckvilledudes posted above.
3) Harbor Belle. It is smaller than the species and has red berries. I've read that the seeds are sterile, but have also read that they are not. It tends to be a smaller plant than the species.
4) Nandina domestica. That's the species and produces tons of the red berries. It's the hardest to find.

Most of the fall color is gone here now. The thing I like best now is the hips on my seed-grown 'angel' roses. The roses are now quite a thicket at the end of the herb bed on the south side of the driveway - they seed themselves (and the birds spread the seeds around a bit too!) This isn't a great picture, but this is what they looked like Nov 23 and it still looks much the same now:
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They are great little roses - bloom from early summer and still have a few flowers now at the tips. They never get any disease; they get no winter protection and only have an occasional bit of die-back at the tips. Most are single but some are doubles; most are scented but some are not. This is what they look like in June:
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woodyoak, what kinda roses are they? very pretty!!

They are Rosa chinensis minima which I gather are the original miniature China roses. I got the first seeds from Vessey's but after that I harvested the hips and collected the seeds from my own plants. I no longer grow them from seed - they just seed themselves. A couple of seedlings appeared 100' or so away at the edge of the woodland garden a few years ago. They were in too much shade to bloom but I left them alone to see what they would do. This year one put out canes about 6' long - it looks like it has decided to be a climber in order to get more light. I staked it, leaning it into the bottom branches of a white pine. It'll be interesting to see what it does next. They are a lot of fun to grow - the seedlings start blooming when they are about 3-4" tall! So, if you want to, it's easy to be selective about what you grow. I just planted whatever I got though. They're a lot of fun - I highly recommend them.

Okay, one more from me ...... not exactly a shrub, but a divine autumn beauty really showing its' stuff this year!

It's a Japanese Maple - focal point ornamental in the center of a raised half moon shaped garden and about 10' tall now. Last year, it got frost nipped before it turned color, then clung onto the wilted brown leaves all winter - yuck! This year it is really making up for last year's disappointment ......

Foliage is an astounding crimson and the gently falling leaves are carpeting the garden below w/a crimson mantle. The evergreen ferns & heucheras below surrounded by the crimson leaves are just so ...... so Christmasy!

This maple is pretty much the last 'hurrah' for my yard - everything else has performed and gone to sleep - and what a wonderful final curtain!

Now, if I could just stop thinking about Next Year ..... :o)

Susan, sorry it took me such a long time to reply, been very busy here (and also sick). Here is a pic of ruscus, as requested. I'm not sure about the English common name, but the I've seen the plant referred in several ways as far as Latin name is concerned: ruscus racemosa, danae racemosa and ruscus aculeatus. Being no botanic expert, I'm not sure whether they are all the same plant, but they are at least very closely related.

The ruscus in the pic is the (ever)green shrub with the red berries. Surrounding plants are laurustinus (viburnum tinus), just about to bloom, and viburnum opulus. The coppery tones of the leaves in the foreground are from the smoke bush (cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple').

Eduarda

Eduarda, thanks for posting the picture. That really is a nice shrub. I'll have to compare it to what my mom has down in NC, but I'm pretty sure she said it was Poet's Laurel which I believe is danae racemosa. Alas, I can't grow it in my zone. Nor the V. tinus which you have me drooling over!!!