Spring signals the beginning of the planting season. Before jumping right into flowers, let’s talk about the unsung hero of the garden: shrubs.

While trees are the first to go into the ground when winter finally breaks, shrubs are close to follow. They offer structure, form, and year-round beauty.

Shrubs aka woodies aka bushes

Shrubs are usually a permanent addition to your garden.

Also known as woodies or bushes, they are defined by their wood base (as opposed to a foundation of soft, green stems). They typically have several stems or canes that grow from the ground and are smaller than trees.

There are two main types of shrubs: evergreen and deciduous. Evergreen shrubs keep their foliage year-round, while deciduous shrubs drop their leaves in the fall and grow new foliage in the spring.

It’s best to plant a mix of both evergreen and deciduous shrubs to ensure there is always something to admire in your garden, even in the doldrums of winter.

Shrubs can also be grown in containers, making them a perfect, if not unexpected, addition to any garden or patio.

Best shrubs for color

Beyond adding structure to the garden, shrubs offer another essential benefit: color!

There are shrubs that bring something special to every season. Here are five of my favorites:

1. Rhododendrons: One of the first shrubs to bloom in the spring, they come in electric colors that span pink, purple, crimson, and even some yellows and whites. Not only will these shrubs provide voluminous color early in the year, they are evergreen—adding interest to your garden all year around. Pay close attention to the plant tag when buying a rhododendron—while there are many compact options, some can get up to 20’ tall! For a compact variety, try the glowing pink Rhododendron ‘Ken Janeck.”

2. Butterfly bush: I just love the wild spires of a butterfly bush. Filled with clusters of tiny flowers in pink, purple, blue, ruby, orange, yellow or white, these shrubs come in small sizes perfect for containers, or large sizes great for filling in an empty spot in the landscape. True to its name, butterfly bushes are magnets for pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds, which flock to its honey-scented blooms. The Pugster varieties, like Pugster Blue or Pugster Pink, are perfect for small spaces or mixed borders.

3. Shrub rose: The beauty and versatility of shrub roses make them a lovely addition to any garden or container. Roses are grown in every color, and are prolific bloomers—adding color in the garden from late spring through frost (make sure to look for “continuous bloomers,” as some roses will bloom just once a season). In addition to their exquisite form, be it cupped blooms, quartered blooms, or anything in between, they perfume the air with an intoxicating scent as well! If you’re new to roses, try any “Knockout” variety—they’re as tough as they are beautiful.

4. Hydrangea: Hydrangeas are deciduous shrubs dotted with enchanting clusters of blues, purples and pinks. You’ll most often find two types of hydrangea flowers: mopheads, sporting big round clusters of small flowers, and lacecaps, which look like bunches of closed buds with occasional airy blooms bursting through. Hydrangeas produce flowers through fall, and provide beautiful green structure when not in bloom. While compact varieties are abundant, Endless Summer “Bloomstruck” hydrangeas are beautiful in the landscape or large pots, and widely available.

5. Beautyberry: This shrub is unassuming for most of the year. It sports pretty green-purple foliage in the spring, and small white flowers in the summer. But in the fall, Beautyberry gets a serious glow-up. Summer’s white flowers transform into electric purple berries that seem almost surreal in the landscape. Those berries cling to the branches even after the foliage drops in the late fall, and will last through the winter—unless the birds get them first!

🌸 Flower I’m admiring

My rhododendrons are just starting to bloom! I have a mix of blues, purples and pinks. The first to bloom was the Rhododendron Blue Barons. Just opening up are the Rhododendron Ramapos, and soon following will be my Rhododendron Dandy Man Color Wheel (aren’t plant names fun?!).

👩🏻‍🌾 Seeds I’m sowing

I’ve just sowed the nasturtium seeds. These cheerful, trailing flowers are edible, making them as delightful in the garden as they are on salad. Simply sow the seeds directly into well-drained soil and keep them moist until they germinate. Nasturtiums thrive in full sun or partial shade and do not require much maintenance, making them a great choice for gardeners of any level.

🍄 What I’m inspired by

Monet, painting in his garden in Giverny, France.

If you haven’t heard of his garden, you may have seen it.

Monet adored his garden. He cultivated a free-flowing wonderland of flowers both rare and common. When looking at his impressionist floral paintings, many painted in his garden, the subjects swirl together in a dreamy ballet of color.

In this rare footage shot in 1915 by Sacha Guitry for his project Ceux de Chez Nous, Monet is seen painting in his garden on an idyllic, sunny day.

What’s your favorite shrub in the garden? Any that you think should be added to this list? I have a large hillside to plant up this spring and need all the suggestions. 👀☕

xx

Courtney