With it being the time of year to spruce up the garden, Cathy Isom fills you in about the best shrubs for containers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Infuse big impact into your garden using fuss-free shrubs in movable pots. There is a shrub that will work for every taste and situation, whether you struggle with deer, shade, or lack space for a large conifer but want that evergreen presence in your garden.
Lo & Behold ‘Blue Chip Jr.’ butterfly bush and Lil Miss Sunshine bluebeard offer fragrance from spring until fall. The ‘Double Play Blue Kazoo’ spirea is truly a five-star shrub for the softblue foliage alone, especially with the burgundy flush on the new growth and intense red color in fall. Add sunshine to the shade with the bold foliage of ‘Little Honey’ hydrangea. Large white flowers are a bonus; this plant is all about the leaves, which transition from yellow to rich burgundy in autumn. Cluster these three shrubs and you have it all—flowers, berries, and a blaze of color in fall: Brandywine Vibernum, Pinky Winky Hydrangea, and Blues Festival St. John’s Wort. And don’t forget the pollinator friendly shrubs, such as the Deep Wine Weigela (why-GEE-luh). Also a big attraction for hummingbirds.
I’m Cathy Isom…