“These new shrubs will be great for your garden,” says Graham
With a wealth of newcomers offering added benefits, which shrubs should you plant alongside your trusted favourites? Graham Rice compiles the ultimate must-have list
WE all know that shrubs are the backbone of the garden, giving structure and presence. But when chosen well, they can also excite us with their flowers, fragrance or foliage – and sometimes all three.
Autumn is, of course, prime shrubplanting time. The soil is warm, a good downpour is not out of the question and scorching days are less likely than in spring. Roots tend to grow into their new soil quickly, and your young plants will approach the spring growing season ready to jump.
So what shrubs should you plant? Right now, the choices have never been better. More new shrub varieties are being introduced than at any time since the days of the great plant hunters, who brought back never-seen-before species from Asia and the Americas.
Fast forward a couple of centuries and it’s plant breeders who are making the difference. In North America, Japan, Europe and right here in Britain – all over the world, really – individuals and nurseries specifically focused on creating new plants are developing new and exciting varieties. No genetic modification or anything like that, just traditional plant-breeding techniques – transferring pollen from one flower to another – allied to a good eye and some moments of inspiration.
In some cases, the focus has been on creating new varieties of our most popular plants, including hydrangeas, clematis and buddlejas; in fact, we have probably seen rather too many new varieties of all three of the above, so choosing carefully is important. Less fashionable plants – among them sarcococcas, physocarpus, hibiscus, wiegela and spiraea – have also enjoyed exciting developments.
Elements that have been built into
these recent introductions include: compact growth for small gardens; suitability for growing in containers; extended flowering seasons; colourful foliage; and extra features to give additional seasons of interest and colour. As a result, the best offer exciting opportunities and new ways to use shrubs in the garden.
Of course, ‘new’ is not always better, and it’s worth noting that some of the recent introductions are not as special as the nurseries’ hype would have us believe. However, many of them are well worth considering when putting together your shrub planting list for this autumn. After all, smart gardeners not only cherish their favourites, but are also open to never-seen-before varieties. Our gardens, large and small, will benefit from both.