This is the east side of my house - this was taken earlier this spring. I have a lot of perenials that I have mapped out and/or have planted here now and planting this fall, but need some sort of shrub in the back - any idea? Some of the perenials are cone flowers, phlox, stella lilys, sedum, hardy hibiscus, baby's breath, shasta daisy, lisianthus, scabiosa, tree peony, delphinium, poppies, mountain coneflower, russian sage, columbines, and giant alium. Some of the annuals I have planned are cosmos, pestemons, snapdragons, etc.

I'm not good at picking out shrubs. There is a sunroom just to the right of this, I think I am going to put a few long-flowering minature lilacs that get about 3-4 feet tall. Any ideas???



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PattyM

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I am going to put a few long-flowering minature lilacs that get about 3-4 feet tall.

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Patty, I'm assuming that you're probably talking about the Dwarf Korean Lilac, am I correct? I know there's a Dwarf Lilac 'Josee', but I think it gets about 5 or 6 feet tall. I have the Dwarf Korean Lilac and I love it!

If you're looking for some color in that bed most of these are awesome shrubs. The Arctic Willow has purple stems but not much other color; but, I feel the light and airy texture more than makes up for that deficit.

Burning Bush 'Fireball'
Spiraea 'Little Princess'
Spiraea 'Snow Storm'
Potentilla 'Tangerine'
Weigela 'Minuet'
Dwarf Blue Leaf Arctic Willow 'Nana'

Patty, I don't know what zone you are in but I believe most of these are hardy to zone 4.

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"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!"

butterfly bush...can be left to grow tall or can be trimmed back to keep it at a lower/more managable height.

any of the spiria will do - there's regular and dwarf types.

if you like azalea, there are lots of new varieties that have nice flowers. the flowers appear in early spring and don't last too long...you're left with a nice green bush for the rest of the year...nice backdrop for your flowers.

burning bush is a really nice one too...it's lovely in the fall!

give me some time...i'll come up with some more ideas for you

Japanese Barberry is an awesome shrub. It is colorful all year long and goes from green to pink to bright pink. Very pretty.

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We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.

Deborah, I'm still waiting for Patty to tell us what zone she's in! I'm not sure a Gardenia would be hardy where she's at since they're only hardy to zone 7b, but I'm really not sure! I know they are not hardy here because I would have them all over my yard if they were. I love them and the smell is heavenly!

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"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!"

Thanks, Patty! I kinda figured you were colder than me and that's why I listed shrubs hardy to zone 4, but the zone 3 surprises me.

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"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!"

Deborah, it doesn't matter if it's an outdoor gardenia or not. Gardenias do not survive outdoors in zones lower then zone 7b.

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"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!"

Deborah, I had a beautiful Gardenia for years in my office and it was awesome! Everyone who came in commented on it! Whenever it was blooming the smell would fill the room and it was heavenly! I loved that plant and it got to be quite large!

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"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless me, my family, my home, and my friends, in Jesus' name. Amen!"

Here is another approach that you may be interested in. Our landscaping was done by a local professional nursery about 7 years ago. We decided on shrubs that would bloom incrementally throughout the growing season; with evergreen for the winter. Here is a list to consider of which I think can grow in your Zone 3to4 area.
"Miss Kim" Lilac (Flagrant Lilac blooms in Spring)
Saint John's Wort( Yellow blooms in early Summer)
Caryopteris (Deep blue blooms in late Summer)
Burning Bush (Deep red foliage in early Fall)
Broadmore Juniper ( Evergreen for year round greenery).
Also a Buddelia (Butterfly Bush) acts very much like a Caryopteris. Seeing the plants develop over the last 7 years has been a joyful and an enlightening experience. Do a little research on these and see what you think.
Good Luck!

Here's a link which may help, ND: North Dakota Tree Handbook

I have a bush cherry, Prunus Tomentosa aka Nanking Cherry, qhich is listed there, and is an attractive feature in my botanical style back yard.

Click on picture to see it growing up against Pasture Rose Rosa Carolina in bloom.

Can you get some kind of idea as to what to try from neighboring gardens ?