Looking into my backyard, I enjoy seeing the occasion of a few deer browsing through. But, then when I am browsing through my gardens, I am NOT overjoyed to see the damage that these pesky animals have done. Shrubs can be a perfect height for the deer to munch on, but, overall deer tend to stray away from shrubs. But, in the dead of winter food supply can become  scare for the deer, and they prey on our beloved shrubs! There is truly nothing that will stop a deer from munching when they are starving, but, a few shrubs we have found that they don’t prefer are: barberry,  butterfly bushes,  boxwood,  false cypress,  forsythia,  and elderberry. These shrubs either have thorns or produce a smell that deer do not prefer, and tend to stay away from.

HYDRANGEA – LIMELIGHT HARDY

This hardy hydrangea has a bountiful harvest of the best blooms ever! Limelight is by far a beauty in the garden, with its gigantic blooms and array of color. Limelight, in mid summer starts out as an “eye catching” lime green, and turns into a pure white color and ending in the fall with a magnificent color of pink. Limelight, makes great dried or cut flower arrangements. Limelight’s height can reach as high as 6 to 8 feet high. So, this beauty can set the stage in anyone’s garden with it’s great structure. Pruning limelight is best done in the late fall or early spring. Hardy Limelight is also very true to the name and is hardy  all the way down to zone 3.

]]> http://shrubsource.com/blog/2012/04/10/living-in-the-limelight/feed/ 0 http://shrubsource.com/blog/2012/03/27/summer-wine-is-fine/ http://shrubsource.com/blog/2012/03/27/summer-wine-is-fine/#comments Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:12:00 +0000 ShrubSource http://shrubsource.com/blog/?p=81 Continue reading →]]>

Ninebark ‘Summer Wine’

Summer Wine Ninebark

(Ninebark) Summer Wine® has a stunning wine color foliage, that in mid summer is dressed up with a pinkish-white button size flower. The purplish foliage of Ninebark is paired nicely with the bright yellow colors of Coreopsis. Summer Wine® is a low maintenance Ninebark, that grows neat and upward. With it’s neat and tidy character, summer wine works well for making a neat border, or planting in masses. Also, a perfect shrub for a patio container.

Hydrangea Cityline Rio

Not Your Grandma’s Shrub!

Shrub: A woody plant smaller than a tree, usually having multiple  permanent stems branching from or near the ground.

When I used to think of a shrub, I would think of the “old fashion” shrub that every grandma had. That were over grown and needing a MAJOR “hair cut”. With today’s wonderful selection of  Proven Winners® ColorChoice® flowering shrubs it puts a new and refreshing swing to the shrub world. Shrub’s can add  a great focal point to a garden, providing privacy, creating screens in your backyard oasis. Shrubs also can be used alone in a container, using  Proven Winners® ColorChoice® compact shrubs. With the ease of compact shrubs it brings less work and low maintenance to gardening in an condo or apartment.

Here is an dwarf hydrangea that will surely make you look twice! New to Proven Winners this year, this magnificent dwarf hydrangea is sure to turn heads. I am a super excited to try Bobo in my yard this year, as it is from the same breeder as Pinky Winky. I love the fact that it is super loaded with large flowers that are supported by strong stems, that  continue to grow and lengthen as they bloom. Bobo’s flowers start out white in the summer and in August start turning to a pink hue through the fall. Bobo is perfect for any area as it is a cute compact hydrangea.

Are you ready for instant color in the early day’s of spring? I know I am! Flowering quince can do just that with it’s burst of color in the end days of March and early April. Coming in beautiful colors of pink, orange, and scarlet, it also will make a great display for cut flowers. Not only can you enjoy the beauty of quince, it is a easy to care for chaenomeles. This flowering quince is an ornamental quince and bears no thorns or fruit. Chaenomeles enjoy full sun or part shade, and are very drought tolerant.

Proven Winners has introduced yet another great Cornus.  It’s name says it all, with it’s unique leaf texture, that has a glossy, thick puckered looked  to it.  Pucker Up™   has a great appearance that can add character to any setting. It has the dazzling red stems, that is sure to add to the days of winter. Red twig dogwoods love it in full sun to part shade. In the summer,  Pucker Up™ blooms off of last years growth and produces white flowers, so be sure to trim after the flowers are spent. This little beauty is compact only reaching 3-4′ in height it is  very adaptable to many conditions.  Pucker Up™ is sure to brighten your day no matter what time of year it is.

Look out for this compact beauty, with a big bang of a fragrance. Bloomerang® Syringa is a must have in everyone’s garden, with it being the very first reblooming lilac. Bloomerang® has it’s first mass of purplish-pink flower blooms in the spring, and will continue to bloom all summer long until the first frost. So, you are sure to enjoy the pleasant scent of a lilac all summer long. Bloomerang® lilac is a cute compact dwarf lilac that is perfect for borders or the landscape, reaching only 4-5 feet. Bloomerang® lilac blooms also make a great bouquet for the dining room table, or, that someone special in your life.

When it comes to winter, generally shrubs don’t put on much of a show. But, Arctic Fire will set the snow on fire! The bright red twigs contrast beautifully with the bright white snow. Standing 4 foot tall, this shrub makes a great specimen for your garden or landscape. In the spring through summer, Arctic Fire™ produces small white flowers off of last seasons growth. Cornus Red Twig Dogwood grows well in full sun to partial sun.