Garden Shrubs to Elevate Planting Scheme
Add garden shrubs for structure, color, and fragrance in your garden. Choose from evergreen and winter-flowering options for year-round beauty.
Garden centers are always bringing in new types of perennials, but lately, it’s the stunning array of new garden shrubs that are turning heads. These shrubs not only provide structure and dimension to any space, but they also boast vibrant foliage, gorgeous blooms, and even fragrant scents. Plus, evergreen varieties ensure year-round lushness.
While some garden centers feature special displays to showcase their new varieties, it’s often the mail-order nurseries that are the first to offer the latest and greatest options. Some of these nurseries pride themselves on curating only the best and most unique selections, so you can enjoy something truly special in your garden. Don’t miss out on these exciting new options!
Gardeners always need to keep their eyes peeled for the latest and greatest, garden shrub as these hot new varieties tend to fly off the shelves. Take, for example, the stunning double-flowered Philadelphus ‘Pearls of Perfume’. This beauty not only blooms in the spring, but continues to dazzle throughout the summer months. In fact, it was so popular that it sold out in a mere matter of days! So if you want to stay ahead of the curve and get your hands on the hottest plants around, you’ll need to act fast.
Barberries
Hardiness: USDA Z4-7 (RHS H7)
Best for: Colorful foliage
Get ready to be wowed by the latest offerings in the world of deciduous garden shrubs! These tough yet stunning plants are now available in a range of exciting new colors and growth patterns that will add a touch of beauty and sophistication to any garden.
One of the standout varieties is the breathtaking ‘Orange Sunrise’, with its rich red foliage that’s perfectly complemented by golden edges. For those who prefer a darker hue, there’s the striking ‘Chocolate Summer’ with its deep chocolate brown leaves. And if you’re looking for something truly unique, ‘Venice’ boasts pinkish leaves that gradually turn a deep, ruby red. These garden shrubs are a great addition to any landscape design, offering visual interest and a pop of color.
But it’s not just the colors that make these new garden shrub varieties so appealing. They also feature neater-than-usual growth patterns, with an upright and tidy appearance that’s sure to impress. These hardy plants are tolerant of most soils and situations, so you can enjoy their beauty no matter where you live. Just be sure to give them plenty of full sun, as that’s where their foliage really shines!
Forsythia
Hardiness: USDA Z4-6 (RHS H5)
Best for: Vibrant spring flowers
Nature Hills boasts an incredible array of forsythia cultivars, each one more captivating than the last! These early-flowering garden shrubs are a gardener’s delight, bursting with vibrant colors that chase away the winter blues and revitalize any outdoor space.
Recent years have seen remarkable advancements in forsythia breeding, resulting in neater, more compact, and incredibly prolific varieties. With striking foliage in a myriad of hues, these new garden shrub cultivars are a true feast for the eyes! Take, for instance, the stunningly petite ‘Maree d’Or’, standing at a mere 23.5in (60cm) tall – perfect for those cozy nooks and crannies in your garden shrubs.
While these beauties thrive in full sun, they’re not too fussy when it comes to soil. As long as it’s fertile and not overly parched or waterlogged, your forsythia will flourish in no time!
Hebe
Hardiness: USDA Z7-8 (RHS H4-5)
Best for: Neat, evergreen shrubs
Transform your garden into a breathtaking wonderland with the versatile Hebe Garden shrubs! These plants are a great way to spruce up any scene with their ornamental foliage and a delightful range of colors.
One captivating variety is the Hebe franciscana ‘Tricolor’, boasting an impressive blend of cream, green, and pink hues, particularly during chilly weather. To top it off, this beauty blooms pale purple flowers during summer, adding a burst of color to your outdoor oasis with its stunning garden shrubs.
And the excitement doesn’t stop there! The never-ending series of new Hebes will leave you spellbound. Feast your eyes on the stunning five-color ‘Red Wine Series’, flaunting deep red winter foliage and summer flowers. Or, why not try ‘Rainbow’, with its multicolored winter leaves, or ‘Starlight’, featuring white-edged leaves and pristine white flowers in summer? These new garden shrubs are sure to add a touch of magic to your outdoor space.”
Get ready to plant these wonders in any well-drained soil under the warm rays of the sun. These garden shrubs also appreciate a little shelter from chilly winds. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to transform your garden with these magnificent hebes!
Hydrangea
Hardiness: USDA Z3-8 (RHS H5-6)
Best for: Growing in part shade
Hydrangeas are the stuff of garden dreams, perfect for adding that much-needed pop of color to your landscape or sprucing up your collection of garden shrubs with their amazing blooms. And with a plethora of hydrangea types available at Burpee and other plant retailers, it’s easy to get your hands on the perfect variety for your garden.
These flowering shrubs thrive in both full sun and part shade, as long as they’re planted in moist, well-drained, and fertile soil. And when it comes to pruning, the method you use will depend on the particular hydrangea variety you have.
But wait, there’s more! Get ready to discover the latest and greatest in hydrangea innovation. Traditional mop head types, such as the stunning ‘Miss Saori’, flaunt magnificent pink and white double flowers. Or, if you prefer a more spread-out growth pattern, ‘Runaway Bride’ boasts exquisite white lacecap flowers. And for those with limited garden space, the compact ‘Little Spooky’ garden shrubs are perfect with its white conical flowerheads.
Get ready to elevate your garden game with these gorgeous hydrangeas. With their vibrant colors and stunning shapes, they’re sure to become your new garden obsession!
Choisya
Hardiness: USDA Z7 (RHS H4)
Best for: Prolific flowers
Bring a touch of elegance to your backyard with the stunning choisya garden shrubs, also known as Mexican orange blossoms. This versatile plant is perfect for adding year-round interest to your outdoor space. One of the most popular picks is ‘Aztec Peal’, a recipient of the esteemed Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.
But the excitement doesn’t end there! Recent developments have brought us a range of evergreen choisyas garden shrubs with neater growth, gorgeous foliage, and abundant, fragrant flowers. For example, feast your eyes on the new ‘Appleblossom’ variety with slender foliage, pink buds, and sweet-scented white flowers, all while reaching a manageable height of only 4ft (1.2m). Alternatively, the equally charming ‘Royal Lace’ boasts fragrant white flowers and delicate golden foliage, making it a true showstopper.
These magnificent choisyas are happy basking in full sun or a little shade, as long as they’re planted in rich soil. And for those who love container gardening, these new garden shrubs varieties thrive in patio containers as well, making it easy to add a touch of class to even the smallest outdoor spaces.
Get ready to transform your backyard into a dreamy oasis with these exceptional choisyas. With their irresistible foliage and enchanting flowers, they’re sure to become your new garden favorite!
Salvias
Hardiness: USDA Z8 (RHS H4)
Best for: Summer flowers
Get ready to add a burst of color to your garden with the stunning salvias garden shrubs – a perennial shrub that boasts eye-catching spikes of vibrant flowers during the summer months. And the excitement doesn’t end there! Garden centers are now stocking an array of new salvias, including some with gorgeously fragrant foliage and shrubby growth.
One particular series that has been turning heads is the ‘lips series’, which takes the ever-popular ‘hot lips’ and introduces a range of new colors. Meanwhile, ‘oriental dove’ boasts deep reddish-purple, deep pink and white, blue and many more flowers with lower lips- a true sight to behold.
Growing salvias is a breeze – just plant them in well-drained soil and give them plenty of full sun. They also thrive beautifully in pots on the patio or deck, making them a versatile choice for any garden. And when it comes to pruning, spring is the best time to do so.
Don’t miss out on the stunning new salvias that are taking the gardening world by storm. With their vibrant flowers and gorgeous foliage, they’re sure to bring joy and color to your outdoor space all season long.
Daphne
Hardiness: USDA Z7 (RHS H5)
Best for: Winter fragrance
Indulge in the natural beauty of winter with these stunning evergreen garden shrubs that are truly a sight to behold! The latest varieties are sure to leave you mesmerized with their extended flowering season, alluring scent, and eye-catching foliage.
Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing beauty of garden shrubs ‘Marianni’ with its captivating purplish flowers in winter and spring, accompanied by breathtakingly variegated evergreen foliage. Meanwhile, ‘Eternal Fragrance’ and ‘Pink Fragrance’ come with six months of scented white flowers, in white and pink hues respectively, that will leave you utterly enchanted.
While Daphnes may not be the fastest-growing shrubs, their beauty and scent make them well worth the wait. Whether you’re looking to plant them in rich, well-drained soil in a sunny or partially shaded spot, or prefer growing them in containers, these charming shrubs are sure to bring a touch of magic to your outdoor space,
Lavender
Hardiness: USDA Z8 (RHS H4)
Best for: Bees
If you’re looking for something that will add a dash of magic to your patio, look no further than the latest lavenders that are taking the gardening world by storm.
Get ready to be blown away by the compact and incredibly vibrant ‘BeeZee Series’ which offers five distinct colors, and the elegantly rippled ‘Ruffles Series’ that boasts charming flags atop its flower clusters. Or, for something truly unique, opt for the creamy-edged foliage of a standout lavender that will add a touch of class to your outdoor space.
All of these lavenders thrive in well-drained compost in terracotta pots, soaking up the sun in your patio. And, let’s not forget the highly aromatic and even variegated foliage that comes with these garden shrubs, making them a feast for the senses all year round.
Buddleja
Hardiness: USDA Z6-8 (RHS H5)
Best for: Attracting butterflies
Buddlejas are a favorite for butterfly gardens. Recent developments have often been in the way they grow – with upright buddlejas and weeping buddlejas now available.
‘Butterfly Towers’ has a unique, upright habit, while blue-flowered ‘Wisteria Lane’ develops elegant weeping growth. ‘Berries and Cream’ has purple and white florets, in the same spike. These garden shrubs grow best in sun and good soil – prune in the same way as other buddlejas.
Bear in mind that in some regions, buddleja is considered an invasive plant – so proceed with caution if you’re considering one of these backyard garden shrubs.
Azaleas
Hardiness: USDA Z8 (RHS H5-6)
Best for: Patio containers
Looking to add a touch of drama to your small garden? Look no further than these two stunning series of azaleas that are sure to leave you in awe!
The ‘Encore Series’ boasts a unique feature – these garden shrubs bloom not just once, but again after their first spring flush, extending the beauty of these shrubs throughout the year. And if you’re looking for something that stands out, the ‘Starstyle Series’ is the perfect fit, featuring gorgeous starburst flowers that add an extra layer of charm to your outdoor space, especially when grown in containers.
But don’t be fooled by their delicate looks – these garden shrubs are tough and hardy, and will thrive in lime-free compost. Plant them in containers that soak up the sun or in areas of partial or dappled shade, and don’t forget to keep the roots well-watered to prevent them from drying out.
With their unique features and incredible beauty, these azaleas are sure to elevate your small garden into a true masterpiece.
Are New Varieties Of Garden Shrubs Better Than Old Ones?
There’s a reason why certain garden shrubs have remained beloved by gardeners for decades – or even centuries. Not only are they beautiful and reliable, but they’re also low-maintenance and easy to care for. Of course, nurseries appreciate plants that are easy to propagate and quickly sellable.
But as times change, so do our gardens and gardening needs. That’s why new shrubs that are perfect for small gardens are becoming increasingly valuable – especially as new properties often come with more compact plots. And with long-lasting blooms, these new varieties offer us more than their short-lived counterparts. Plus, with pest and disease resistance, we can reduce our reliance on pesticides.
While some new varieties are certainly worth trying out, it’s important to remember that old favorites are still cherished for good reason. Whether you opt for a time-honored classic or an exciting new cultivar, you’re sure to find the perfect plant for your garden.
