Certain shrubs provide us with varying displays of colour and texture throughout the year. We like to think of them as a gift from Mother Nature! This blog will feature six shrubs with gorgeous colours through the seasons.
Flowering Shrubs
Forsythia
Welcome spring in with the iconic, sunny blooms of the forsythia shrub. Infused with colourful blossoms, it is an excellent addition to any front lawn or backyard. A tough deciduous plant that is versatile enough for use as a single focal point, hedging, or as foundation planting. Fall foliage can even take on shades of purple, red, and yellow! Most soils will support Forsythia, but they prefer loose, well-draining soil. Their ideal soil pH ranges from neutral to partially alkaline, at a pH of 7.0 to 8.0.
‘York’ Elderberry
Cold tolerance makes this plant ideal for Zones 3 to 9. Since bushes can grow up to 3 metres tall, it is often used as a natural fence. What’s more, this plant undergoes a beautiful colour change in the fall – changing foliage colour from green to bright red. Elderberry shrubs are delicious for cooking recipes and illuminating the garden with seasonal colour. A loamy soil and full sun are ideal for Elderberries.
Rhododendron
Adding the rhododendron shrub to a bland part of your garden will offer it just the seasonal sparkle it needs. As the seasons change, summer’s greens are replaced by purples, bronzy-reds, and maroons in the fall. Rhododendrons need constant moisture, but hate wet soil, so let them dry between waterings. These beautiful flowering shrubs need a minimum of six hours of full sun daily.
Shrubs for Winter Seasonal Interest
Tiger Eye Sumac
Lemon-lime foliage, fuzzy stems, and intense fall colour make the Sumac cultivar shrub a standout. The branches in winter can be quite picturesque, turning shades of reddish-pink to take the place of its show-stopping seasonal foliage. If conditions are ideal, Tiger Eyes grow about two metres tall and around one metre wide. They tolerate dry soil and prefer sun to part-sun locations in the garden. You should water only when the top few inches of soil are dry. To ensure that the root ball stays well hydrated, drench the soil from the base of the trunk to the dripline when watering.
Pinus Mugo ‘Wintergold’
This is one of the best plants for seasonal winter colour in the garden—and it has the name to prove it. ‘Wintergold’ is best known for its olive-green foliage that turns a rich, old-gold when the weather becomes colder. We recommend that Mugo Pines be planted in the spring or fall in well-drained soil. After establishing themselves, this plant can tolerate moderate drought and require water only during prolonged periods without water.
Winter Red Holly
Typically growing to three metres tall, Winter Red Holly is a female Winterberry shrub that serves as a beautiful garden plant all year round—but especially in the fall and winter. Late spring or early summer brings abundant small greenish-white flowers to this deciduous plant with an oval shape. In the fall and winter, they bear seasonal cherry-red berries—this is where the plant gets its name!
This shrub prefers partly to fully sunny locations, and is best planted in well-draining soil, though it will tolerate moisture as well. The pH of your soil should be between 3.5 and 6.0 for optimal growth. You can test the pH of your soil by conducting a soil test.
Are you searching for plants to add seasonal colour to your landscape all year round? Bala and Port Carling Garden Centres are here 365 days a year to point you toward the best seasonal plants for Ontario!
