Regional Picks: Showy Shrubs – Mid-Atlantic

See regional picks for showy bush , and read the article by Paul Cappiello for even more ideas .

“ Show - barricade shrub — you know the kind . You ’re leading a group of friends around the garden , and they ’re politely following you with gin and tonic in hand , oooing and aaahing in slightly hushed tones . And then it happens . They spot something in the space that drop the whole shebang into chaos . The formerly demure and proper garden folk are throw sharp elbows as they compete for the best path to whatever it is that get their corporate heart . After all , they ’ve puzzle to be the first to Instagram the heck out of it . ” register moreShow - Stopping Shrubs .

regard the whole collection .

1. Brandywine™ Possumhaw Viburnum

Name:Viburnum nudum‘Bulk’

Zones:5–9

Size:8 feet tall and 4 feet full

term : Full sunlight to partial shade ; average to dampish soil

aboriginal range : Eastern United States

When a shrub bloom for a twosome of calendar week and then is uninteresting , can you excuse planting it in your garden ? From spring through fall , Brandywine ™ possomhaw viburnum earns its space in the garden . Creamy white peak come out in former fountain , follow by bright deep green leaf throughout the summertime . fall brings gorgeous yield bunch in shades of pink and down . If this were not enough , the daze yield display of this viburnum also come with eye - catching burgundy declivity colour .

2. Little Henry™ Virginia Sweetspire

Name:Itea virginica‘Sprich’

Size:2 to 3 metrical foot tall and spreading

Conditions : Full sun to partial refinement ; moist to plastered soils

aboriginal orbit : Southeastern United States

For charming multiseason involvement in the garden , add some Little Henry ™ Virginia sweetspire . White , bottlebrush flower clusters cover this tough and versatile bush in summertime and are watch over in autumn by telling Red River to purple colour . It performs well when grown in either sun or fond shade . This cultivar prefers moist to wet soils but will do well in dry conditions once it is established . Its small , summary size makes it idealistic for small garden . Little Henry ™ is perfect for mass planting , as it suckers to form a thick woody ground cover .

3. ‘Suzanne’ Dwarf Fothergilla

Name:Fothergilla gardenii‘Suzanne’

Zones:5–8

Size:30 column inch tall and 3 feet all-embracing

Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; moist , well - drained land

This native springtime - blooming shrub is covered with creamy white , fragrant , bottlebrush flower . Throughout the summertime , ‘ Suzanne ’ dwarf fothergilla has attractive blue - green foliage . In autumn , it belch with arresting shades of yellow-bellied , ruby-red , and orange ( image ) . A compact cultivar , ‘ Suzanne ’ is great for garden where space is circumscribed . It can also be used as a specimen or be implant in groupings for a dramatic fall effect . ‘ Suzanne ’ is one of those shrubs that needs little care but is always a show - plug .

4. Pink-Shell Azalea

Name:Rhododendron vaseyi

Zones:4–7

Size:5 to 10 feet tall and 4 metrical unit wide

Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; moist , rich , well - drained filth

Native range : High elevation meadows , bogs , and titivate forests of North Carolina

In general , azalea are much loved , and yet they do n’t offer much once the florescence ends . However , pink - cuticle azalea , an underused native shrub , has more to give than pretty efflorescence — although it has those too . Delicate pink bloom in early spring give this azalea an elegant and processed mien . It blooms before the leaves come forth , reserve the flowers to stand out . Unlike with many azalea , though , the show is not over . Pink - shell azalea ’s fall color is a striking display in shadowiness of pink , red , and burgundy .

Susan Boss is a plantsman at Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin , Delaware .

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Suzanne Dwarf Fothergilla

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Brandywine Possumhaw Viburnum

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Regional Picks: Showy Shrubs – Midwest

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