I have Cotoneaster growing on the south side of my house. I dug this one up in the middle of summer three years ago, and it has taken off and grown beautifully. At first, I planted it because of the purple-pink flowers. When it finished blooming, the bush became loaded with small, bright red berries. The berries are a calling card to birds. They love to come in and feast on those berries. Hardy to zone 4 this shrub grows to about 7 feet tall. It is not messy and needs very little care.
Bottlebrush Buckeye
The Bottlebrush Buckeye is great for mass plantings and it grows well on banks where not much else can grow. In the summer, it has white blooms that are over a foot long. In the fall, this shrub becomes a showcase. The leaves change from green to yellow to light orange. This shrub is disease resistant and it will grow in full sun or light shade. The Bottlebrush Buckeye is popular because it is easy to grow and adapts to many different kinds of soil.
Hardy Summersweet
The Hardy Summersweet, or clethra alnifolia, is another easy to grow shrub that will reward you with summer flowers that smell as sweet as its name. You can choose between pink, white, or deep rose red flowers and it will bloom in late summer or early fall. Hardy Summersweet is ideal for any garden because it is pest and disease resistant. It prefers a slightly acidic soil, but it will also grow if your soil has some clay in it. This shrub loves full sun but it will also grow in dense shade. It is a plant that can grow almost anywhere in your yard whether by the foundation or in a mass for a hedge. the Hardy Summersweet shrub grows to a height of four to six feet.
The Lacecap, Bigleaf, French Hydrangea, more commonly referred to as the Mophead Hydrangea is super easy to grow. It flowers all summer long and is a sight for any garden or landscape. The Mophead Hydrangea is slightly fussy about the soil it grows in. Depending on the type of soil it will have an effect on the color of the flower the shrub produces. If grown in an acidic, moist loamy soil, you will have deep blue flowers. However, if you grow it in an alkaline soil, you will have pink flowers. If you choose one that has white flowers, these will stay as white. The type of soil they are planted in really doesn’t matter unless you want a particular flower color. The Mophead Hydrangeas comes in several different sizes, from three feet to six feet. This is another disease resistant shrub. If you are growing it in the zone 4 area, then you can plant this shrub in full sun. Farther south, it can be planted in partial shade.
One of the most favored of all shrubs is the Butterfly Bush. If you want to draw countless butterflies and hummingbirds then this is the perfect one to plant. Several varieties produce different colored flowers and scents. For zone 4, you can choose Strawberry Lemonade. The flowers are strawberry colored and the foliage is variegated. The Peacock is small and compact and can be grown in containers. The Butterfly Bush is resistant to disease and pests and does not require much upkeep. If you want lush foliage that comes out of the roots, cut back in the late winter. This shrub prefers to be planted in full sun.
Blue Mist Shrub is one that perfumes the air with a sweet fragrance. This shrub is great for those summers when we have a drought and they don’t mind the heat. The Blue Mist Shrub has no soil preference, which makes it ideal to plant in almost any yard, plus it attracts butterflies. It only grows two to 3 feet in height and blooms in late summer to early fall. Depending on the variety, you can choose from blue flowers to pink flowers.
Royal Purple Smoke Bush
Royal Purple Smoke Bush is perfect if you want something to grow fast. The foliage changes color through the seasons. The leaves starts out in spring as the color burgundy. In the summer, it changes to a deep purple followed by bright orange in the fall. Best of all, these plants loves poor soil. Whether it has gravel or mildew, this shrub will grow and flower. This shrub has beautiful feathery blooms that are purple in color.
Hardy Fuchsia
The Hardy Fuchsia is one of my favorites. I remember growing it in a pot because the climate was too cold and it would not survive our winters. Now even in the northern states we can grow a shrub that is just as beautiful as its tropical relative is. In the Northern gardens, the leaves will drop off, but it comes back to life again in the spring. This shrub blooms all summer long with tear-shaped flowers of purple, white, and pink. It grows to a height of 6 feet tall and the hummingbirds and butterflies love it.
All these shrubs will give you seasons of beautiful blooms, and pretty foliage. You don’t need to be an expert gardener to grow them either. All you need is a place to plant them, some faith that they will grow and a daring nature to step out of the normal shrubs and be different. These shrubs will be a beautiful addition to your yard and by the third year, your yard will be the envy of all the neighbors.
