Alan Titchmarsh shares 5 shrubs you 'must have' in your garden for colour 'all year round'
Incorporating shrubs into the garden adds immediate interest and fullness to beds and borders while remaining easy to care for. According to Alan Titchmarsh, by selecting shrubs thoughtfully, you can enjoy vibrant displays throughout the year.
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Shrubs are woody plants smaller than trees with several main stems arising at or near the ground. They tend to grow faster than trees, especially in the early years, and can establish themselves more quickly within a landscape. While some plants have a seasonal planting window, container-grown shrubs can be planted at any time of year, notes the Royal Horticultural Society, so it’s an opportune time to add them to your garden.
Anyone wondering what to plant may consider summer shrubs like fuchsia or buddleia, but gardening maestro Alan Titchmarsh suggests future-proofing your garden. In an episode of Gardening With Alan Titchmarsh, Alan said: “Summer flowers are all very well for giving you instant appeal, but what every garden needs really, is year-round structure.”
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Shrubs are the easiest way to achieve this, notes the Love Your Garden presenter, and a handful stand out for giving "form, colour and interest, right the way through the year".
1. Dogwood
You'll find dozens of options in most garden centres, but Dogwood is one of Alan's favourites. Known as Cornus Alba Sibirica, this shrub can grow to 2.5m tall and enjoys a sunny position in the garden. Light shade is tolerable for this red-stemmed, green-leaved plant.
Dogwood rewards gardeners with three stages of colourful interest: creamy white flowers in spring, green summer leaves and "vibrant crimson" stems in the winter. The cornus is ideal for gardeners seeking an injection of autumnal hues in their winter garden that will stand out amongst evergreens.
Alan notes that a hard prune in March is essential to stimulating colourful new growth on dogwood shrubs each year.
2. Eucalyptus Azura
This aromatic evergreen shrub doesn't lose its leaves. Native to Australia, eucalyptus trees can grow to a significant height, up to eight metres tall, but with some consistent pruning, the impressive foliage makes for an excellent garden addition.
Alan suggests cutting stems for flower arrangements throughout the year and then chopping them "right down" in spring if they get too big. The gardening expert suggests keeping the plant "young and low" to retain the silvery foliage.
Due to its vigorous root system, gardeners should avoid planting eucalyptus azura near drains and house foundations. Instead, they should plant it in the open in a sheltered spot with full sun.
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3. Rhododendron
The Cosmopolitan variety of rhododendron provides glossy green leaves all year round, and a showy display of pale pink flowers in spring, as long as you care for it properly to encourage flowering.
Rhododendrons, loved for their vibrant green leaves trimmed into a dome-shaped shrub, prefer a sheltered spot with partial shade and acidic soil.
Fortunately, most British soil is more acidic, and gardeners will quickly know if the soil pH is too neutral or alkaline: the leaves will turn yellow, warned Alan.
Unlike eucalyptus and dogwood, rhododendron grows "vast clusters" of white, yellow, purple, and crimson flowers. Though the shrub has a growing potential of 20ft tall, most grow to head-height and are "easy to keep in check".
The plant can withstand temperatures down to minus 10C and even colder, so it's hardy to chilly UK winters.
4. Mexican orange blossom
The firm green leaves of this shrub, which is also known as Chosya 'Sundance,' provide clusters of delicate white blooms in spring. Alan notes that "nothing is brighter" than the yellow-leaved version of the Mexican orange blossom.
Even young plants boast bright yellow-toned leaves, and brighter green shoots appear as the shrub matures. As far as shrubs go, this one is fast-growing and has a rounded shape.
Pruning is simple. You can clip the orange blossom often and cut it back quite hard in spring to direct growth upwards. Alan describes this as a "plump cushion" of a shrub that grows to around shoulder height, but you can easily keep it low if you wish.
5. Euonymous japonicus
Ideal for an exposed or sheltered spot, the Euonymous japonicus can grow between 2.5m and 4m tall. With its bushy evergreen growth, Alan suggests it as a lower-maintenance alternative to topiary.
This potted lollipop shrub sits atop a tall, sturdy stem and grows dark green oval leaves with small green flowers. For an impressive display, Alan suggests lining three or four euonymous japonica along a path.
One of the best things about this variety is its hardiness. It's ideal for coastal planting or hedging and thrives in well-drained soil in sun or shade.
