A bit of green for a tight spot

Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ stands tall as a compact and evergreen shrub

For city gardeners, space can be at a premium. That makes compact shrubs particularly appealing. One especially inviting smaller-size evergreen shrub is Abelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’ PP16,988 (patent pending).

One look at its multi-colored foliage and the appeal is obvious. White flowers in late summer seem to float above the bowl of foliage like nature spirits. But don’t let this plant’s beauty fool you. Abelias in general, and this variety in particular, are tough, resilient shrubs.

Abelias need a better press agent. You would think that a four-season shrub that offers a Joseph’s coat of foliage with very little upkeep would be near the top of many a gardener’s list, but it’s only recently that gardeners are casting a favorable eye on this great performer. Bees and hummingbirds certainly know a good thing when they see it. Abelia’s half-inch flared white flowers are a popular destination for these pollinators during this shrub’s late-summer flowering season.

As a nurseryman, I’m always pointing out that with evergreen shrubs you have but two to three months of flowering. That means you have only the foliage the rest of the year. No problem with this colorful beauty, and I would guess that most people buy it specifically for its ever-changing palette of colors. In spring, yellow petals with lime-green centers and a hint of pink on the border sprout from red stems. As summer morphs into fall, gorgeous blends of greens, yellows, oranges and reds glimmer in the afternoon sun. Blush-pink buds echo that color then open to pure white tubular flowers.

You’ll want to feature this beauty near a walkway or path, or perhaps in the front yard. It provides a nice contrast to many green-leaved shrubs without dominating the landscape. Unlike many other shrubs, this Abelia’s foliage hugs the ground, meaning no unsightly bare branches.