Shrubs that say spring!
They’re part of the backbone of the garden, and this is their season to shine. JUDY HORTON shares a dozen favourite flowering shrubs that reliably deliver the vibrant colours and scents of spring
One of the true pleasures of spring is seeing your normally mild-mannered shrubs bust out with a profusion of blooms. These are the plants that paint seasonal splashes of vibrant colour across our path as we walk through our neighbourhood, adding warmth and fragrance that can’t help but announce the end of winter.
Many of the best are found in cooler climates where their spring show is a loud celebration of their winter survival. Others hail from warmer areas. Some are deciduous, some are evergreen, and there are plenty of Australian native plants that produce amazing spring displays. Many are old-fashioned favourites that never fail to herald the season with spectacular abundance, year after year, through generations of gardeners. Here are some core shrubs that are sure to add spring magic to your garden.
CALIFORNIAN LILAC (Ceanothus ‘Blue Paci c’)
The striking blue flowers on this evergreen American shrub (previous page) make an unforgettable statement in late spring. Californian lilac copes with heat, drought, frost and salty winds, but has an aversion to wet summers, which makes it sadly short lived in coastal New South Wales and Queensland. It grows quickly to about 3m high, but does better if lightly trimmed after flowering. Numerous Ceanothus variations are acclaimed by enthusiasts, including the slightly shorter C. ‘Yankee Point’, the low-mounding (to 1m) ‘Blue Cushion’ and ‘Blue Sapphire’, and the tree-sized C. arboreus ‘Trewithen Blue’.
3m 2m A WT CT (no snow)
BEAUTY BUSH (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
Enough remains of my schoolgirl Latin to recall that the word amabilis means ‘lovable’. Clearly this was front of mind when this shrub was named, even if the genus is named for the more prosaic Mr Kolkwitz. Nomenclature aside, beauty bush is indeed a beauty! In spring, the gracefully arching branches of this cool-climate, deciduous shrub are smothered with soft pink, yellow-throated bells of bloom. Then, after this enchanting display fades, the shrub settles back into relative insignificance. Flowers form on previous season’s growth so any pruning should be done immediately after flowering.
3m 2.5m A WT CT
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW (Brunfelsia spp.)
These shrubs create a near-magical spring show when the sweetly perfumed flowers gradually morph from deep violet to lilac and eventually white. This occurs over a few days, with the varied colours on the bush all at the one time, which explains their common name. The leaves are glossy green but can take on a purplish tinge in cooler weather. Prune after flowering to maintain the plant’s shape and prevent the formation of the poisonous seed pods that have proven to be dangerous for dogs.
1–4m 1–2m T ST WT
OVAL-LEAF MINT BUSH (Prostanthera ovalifolia)
While there are more than 100 mint bushes native to Australia, the oval-leaf mint bush is the most popular. The medium-sized bushy shrub is covered with purple-lilac bells in spring. This mint bush grows quickly, but looks better and lasts longer if pruned after blooming. You can steep the aromatic foliage in boiling water to make a delightful tea. Mint bush prefers good drainage but doesn’t like to be too dry. There is also a variegated form that will stand out in a mixed shrubbery.
4m 3m ST A WT CT
CHINESE FRINGE FLOWER (Loropetalum chinense)
With its attractive pink or cream tasselled blooms, Chinese fringe flower is a spring attention-grabber. The introduction of maroon-leafed varieties, such as ‘Plum Gorgeous’ (pictured), coincided with the arrival of the fashion for coloured-foliage plants, which increased this shrub’s popularity. Chinese fringe flower can be pruned to shape, grows well in pots, carries its foliage to the ground and can successfully be used as a hedge. It’s happiest in morning sun and afternoon shade, and tolerates some dryness once established.
3m 2m ST A WT CT
WEEPING BUTTERFLY BUSH (Buddleja alternifolia)
I remember falling in love with this deciduous shrub in full bloom when holidaying in Paris. Even sans that romantic French connection, I’ve occasionally come across it looking spectacular in Australian gardens. In spring, the arching stems are studded with masses of tiny, lilac-mauve blooms, which are, as expected, very attractive to butterflies. To keep it happy, it needs full sun, good drainage and, please, no wet periods in summer. B. alternifolia ‘Argentea’ has pretty silver-grey leaves, and B. asiatica ‘Spring Promise’ tolerates warmer climates and produces charming, fragrant, winter-spring blooms.
4m 3m A CT
WEIGELA (Weigela orida)
Considered an oldie but a goodie, weigela is very tough and often neglected, but it still manages to survive through harsh periods and flourish luxuriantly with only basic care. Pretty pink, white or crimson trumpets decorate this deciduous shrub in mid-spring. The smaller-growing cultivar W. ‘Foliis Purpureis’ has purple leaves, and W. florida ‘Variegata’ has cream-variegated foliage. Cut this plant back after flowering, removing the oldest canes, and fertilise twice a year with a slow-release plant food.
2.5m 2.5m ST A WT CT
MEXICAN ORANGE BLOSSOM (Choisya ternata)
Perfumed, starry-white spring flowers sit above glossy, citrus-scented leaves on this compact shrub. It grows in an astonishingly wide range of climates, from the subtropics to below freezing, making it a good choice for gardeners who like murraya but can’t grow it in their frost-affected gardens. Mexican orange blossom mixes well in a shrubbery, can be clipped into a semi-formal hedge and is excellent in a pot. Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’ has finely cut leaves.
1–1.5m 1.5m ST A WT CT
MOUNTAIN LAUREL (Kalmia latifolia)
Mountain laurel is so admired in its native North America that it has been chosen as the state flower of both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. It’s easy to understand why when one beholds the gorgeous spring flowers, which resemble dangling, icing sugar-coated parasols. It’s the stamens, the internal ‘ribs’ of the parasols, that slap pollen onto visiting insects. Given the severe winter temperatures of their natural habitats, it’s surprising to learn that these mountain-dwelling shrubs are evergreen. Be aware, too, that all parts of the plant are poisonous, which has led to its less glamorous common name, lambkill. Its main requirements are dappled shade, acid soil, summer moisture, good drainage and cool roots.
3m 1.5m A CT
DOUBLEFILE VIBURNUM (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’)
This, my favourite viburnum, makes a brilliant spring show with its masses of white lacecap blooms on layered, near-horizontal branches. The overall effect is of a beautifully decorated wedding cake. The leaves are attractive, too, with ‘plicatum’ referring to their pleated surfaces. There are dozens of spring-blooming viburnums, including the popular snowball tree (V. opulus) and V .x burkwoodii, with its clusters of fragrant spring blooms.
2.5m 2m A CT
INDIAN HAWTHORN (Rhaphiolepis ‘Oriental Pearl’)
The original species of indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica) was regularly on weed lists in the past, but plant breeders have developed low-seeding cultivars that are much better behaved. One of the best, R. ‘Oriental Pearl’ has shiny green leaves and pretty white flowers that rise to a massed crescendo in spring. It is neat, hardy, both frost and salt tolerant, and loves as much sun as it can get. It looks good in a tub, makes a striking, low (up to 1m) hedge and is a great choice for beginner gardeners.
1m 1m ST A WT CT
HOLLY FUCHSIA (Graptophyllum ilicifolium)
This Aussie special will appeal even to those who declare they ‘don’t like natives’. Its common name aptly describes the attributes of this understorey rainforest shrub, with its glossy, toothed, holly-like leaves and generous display of cerise-red, fuchsia-shaped spring flowers. Its natural distribution is limited to a small area west of Mackay in Queensland, but it will grow in much cooler areas, even tolerating light frosts. It’s happiest in light shade or in morning sun, can be pruned to form a hedge, grows well in a container and is wonderful for attracting native honeyeaters and insects. The spiky leaves can deter burglars or decorate the Christmas table. What more could you want?
2.5m 2.5m T ST WT