Shrubs up nice
from May onwards. The flowers are cup-shaped, like miniature teacups you’d find in a doll’s house.
There are compact varieties such as ‘Little Linda’ which grow no larger than a metre in height and spread, so will easily fit in smaller plots. Grow in partial shade, in moist, well-drained acidic soil or in a pot with ericaceous soil.
Buddleja alternifolia Unique is quite different from the typical buddleja.
Rather than long cones of flowers on large bushes, this is a compact variety which bears clusters of lilac flowers along arching stems.
You could easily have this in a pot on your patio and you will get loads of these fragrant flowers that butterflies love so much. The flowers are sterile so won’t self seed around your plot – all in all a very well behaved butterfly bush!
Gardenias are usually indoor plants but there’s a hardier version called ‘Crown Jewels’ that can be left outdoors for most of the year, though you’d be wise to bring it into an unheated conservatory in bitter winter months.
In summer you will have lots of large waxy tropical blooms with an intoxicating scent. Grow this compact shrub in a pot with ericaceous compost and position in light shade.
Helianthemum ‘The Bride’ is perfect for those dry sunny spots such as a gravel garden or rockery. The silvery evergreen foliage is smothered in white flowers with a yellow centre during summer and it’s a low growing variety that will only reach around 30cm in height. Also known as the rock rose, this Mediterranean native will tolerate heat and drought and makes a good ground cover. Hebes, or shrubby veronicas, are so often overlooked but they have much to recommend them as they are easy care and particularly good in coastal areas. ‘Wiri Mist’ is a compact variety growing no higher than 50cm and has fresh green neat foliage and lots of white flowers in summer. It will need some protection over winter in inland cold spots. Other laid back summer shrubs you might consider are perovskia, lavender, hydrangea, cistus, lavatera, deutzia, weigela, abelia and fuchsia.
Shrubs are the backbone of a garden, providing volume and structure