Suggestion for smaller, colorful shade shrub
Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years ago
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Jilly
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoRelated Discussions
Need suggestion for a short )4' shrub in part shade
Comments (8)Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle' won't exceed 4' height, but it does sucker and if not managed will increase in width. There are several reblooming (remontant) Hydrangea macrophylla that even if they are hit by spring frosts will bloom well over the summer. All are happiest with afternoon shade. Rhododendron 'Checkmate' (a short version of the PJMs), R. 'Yaku Prince', as well as some others if you have acid soil. I also have a Leucathoe which has never exceeded 4' without pruning, and L. 'Rainbow' while listed as 3'-5' is slow enough growing so that it can probably easily be kept below 4'. It has quite ornamental leaves, but also likes acid soil. Both the Rhododendrons and the Leucathoe are evergreen. Several of the small Deutzias, such as 'Chardonnay Pearls', 'Nikko', 'Yuki Snowflake' will bloom well with half shade (mine get afternoon shade.) In my garden they top out at about 3 1/2 feet. One of my favorites, a semi-evergreen plant with white-edged leaves and a long, though never stunning, bloom time, is Daphne x transatlantic 'Summer Ice'. It is often both the first and last blooming shrub in my garden. Scented, and I have found it to not fit the reputation of fussiness that many Daphnes have....See Morereplacement suggestions - colorful shrub for partial shade
Comments (8)There's always the gumpo azalea. This from U of Arkansas division of Agriculture "The Gumpo azalea is a spreading evergreen shrub seldom over 2 feet high and 3 feet wide. The leaves are of the typical azalea type, but on the small size, usually less than an inch and a half long. The true Gumpo azalea has white, ruffled 3-inch wide flowers that are irregularly splotched with flecks of pinkish-purple. Color sports have been selected with the light pink ÂGumpo Pink being the most common. ÂGumpo White is also common. ÂGumpo Fancy is pink with a white margin. Of course, there is also a ÂGumpo Red. GGG...See MoreNeed suggestions for z4 Shade Shrub/Bush
Comments (3)Virginia creeper can get huge & is very vigorous, you probably want something more manageable. I don't know anything about Boston Ivy. For a shrub, the Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) is nice. I also like Cornus alternifolia, the native pagoda dogwood. It has a great winter outline & decent fall color....See MoreSuggestions for shrubs for Z5 well-drained sandy yard in partial shade
Comments (8)I live in central NH, and probably have similar soil (though perhaps finer in texture) since I have fine sandy acid loam. My property is geologically new soil, on the site of a glacial lake, so very little organic matter (and virtually no rocks, unusual for this part of NH.) I am going to respectfully disagree with Ken about the organic matter. I typically add about 6 inches of well aged manure to the entire bed before planting to provide some organic matter and help with moisture retention and mix it in with a spading fork. Then I plant shrubs not adding anything specifically to the planting hole, and mulch well with a layer of cardboard topped with 5" of so of loose wood curls (commercial mulch would do the same thing) that probably weather down to about 3". This helps keep moisture even and weeds down. I usually also edge with the big box store black plastic edging buried to ground level and place a line of bricks inside for the mower wheels to run on to keep out grass. I've done this with my shrub borders and it has worked well with little work, though I do renew the mulch every 2-3 years. My suggestion would be a staggered row of mixed evergreens and several of one type of flowering shrub either sprinkled along the length or in a solid row along one side to give you an ornamental yet functional hedgerow. A full-sized cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata such as Limelight, Pinky Winky, or Quickfire (blooms early July until hard frost) or else Physocarpus/ninebark would work well. In my shrub bed both are healthy, bloom well, and provide long season interest in full to mostly sun. Some other alternatives for part to full sun include some of the PJM family of rhododendrons, Hydrangea arborescens such as Annabelle (needs afternoon shade), or Kalmia/mountain laurel. The only maintenance I do on my H. paniculata and arborescens is a once a year trim of the old blossoms, and I do even less on the ninebark, mountain laurel, and rhododendrons. My evergreens are a mix of Fat Albert blue spruce (probably too large for your use here) and two types of Thuja occidentalis, Sunkist and Techny, but you may want something a bit smaller. This mix is low care, blocks sight relatively well after about 5 growing seasons, and has spring or summer flowers (depending on which of the flowering shrubs you use) and a mix of winter colors. This photo includes several of the plants I mentioned: Coppertina ninebark on the left, a rhododendron, Quickfire Hydrangea (in fall colors - it starts blooming white), Fat Albert blue spruce, and immediately behind the Hydrangea are Thuja Sunkist on the left and Thuja Techny on the right....See MoreJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agoJilly
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years agoStacey
2 years agodiggerdee zone 6 CT
2 years agoJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agodiggerdee zone 6 CT
2 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years agodiggerdee zone 6 CT
2 years agoJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agocearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agoJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
2 years agoJason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC
2 years agourchinsushi
2 years agourchinsushi
2 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
2 years agodiggerdee zone 6 CT
2 years agoannztoo
2 years ago
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