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suggestions for a shrub please!

fairy_toadmother

19 years ago

hello again. my fothergilla has been sent to the other side, so to speak. i would like to replace it with a "dwarf" or small native shrub. i need it no more than 4' tall and maybe a little less wide. then again, maybe i will just throw a perennial in there, but i would like a shrub.

it needs to LIKE alkaline soil and part sun/shade.

i like ninebark, but i don't know whether that it will work. i like hollies, but they need acid (as well as most of my likes). is there a dwarf american cranberry? i know those grow around here. i am sure the spot doesn't get enough sun for my dwarf mockorange, so there is an idea on "lighting."

thanks!

i'm sure others have asked this question. if so, i apologize for not searching better.

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Comments (6)

nyssaman
19 years ago
maple leaf viburnum comes to mind, purple flowering raspberry,
terryr
19 years ago
You're too picky! :o) How about these.......

Diervilla lonicera 'Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle'
Hypericum prolificum 'Shrubby St. John's Wort'
Hydrangea arborescens 'Smooth Hydrangea'
Salix humilis 'Prairie Willow'
Rosa setigera 'Illinois Rosa'
Rosa blanda 'Early Wild Rose'

Here is a link that might be useful: Possibility Place
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Well we've come up with a plan that will allow us to privacy fence a large area next to the house on the side that doesn't front the street, where we can close them off from the main back yard. They will be able to be let out there from the house to do their business. We will put a gate in there to allow access to the backyard where they will only go when we are out with them. We will still do the short chain link fence back there. My zone is 5 on some maps and 6 on others. I generally go by zone 5. I am planning on having other bushes, flowers, etc on the inside of the fence as well. My new yard is a blank slate - not a new house but it appears no one has ever planted flowers anywhere in the yard in years. I looked up viburnum... there's an arrowwood viburnum that looks like it could be really nice. It wouldn't be evergreen but I guess I shouldn't worry as much about winter since they don't have to have the run of the backyard then. Thank you all for the suggestions! I'm feeling less frustrated than I was yesterday.
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fairy_toadmother
Original Author
19 years ago
lol, terryr, so are shrubs! :)
good ideas. i will check them out and the link!thanks!

nyssaman- maple leaf viburnum sounds like a very worthy lead. does it fruit? i know absolutely nothing about viburnums!
terryr
19 years ago
Hey fairy, do a search and tell it to search all forums. Just type in viburnums. You'll be reading for the next 2 weeks. Lots of invaluable information. I've got a lot of viburnums, but mine were just planted last year, so I'm hoping to see how many berries I get this year. And yes, it will berry.

Terry
tiarella
19 years ago
Itea 'Henry's Garnet' is about to bloom in my garden under a big old tree. It gets morning sun then dappled sun for the rest of the day. Cascading bottle brush creamy white flowers and burgundy/red leaves for the fall. About 3 ft tall. If you have wet or damp ground try clethra or summersweet. Amsonia is another good choice. Several different types with varying heights. Willowleaf forms a nice tall clump 4 ft tall with silver blue star flowers that are still blooming in my yard. I have a threadleaf type which is more wispy looking and about 3 foot tall and a short type which is only 12 inches tall!
fairy_toadmother
Original Author
19 years ago
thanks, terryr! sorry i just got back. my responses aren't getting to my email for some reason.

tiarellsa, thank you so very much! very good options :)

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