Landscaping Shrubs and Bush Ideas

Many flowering shrubs attract birds with their berries and provide brilliant fall foliage. But they are perhaps at their best when blooming, during which time they can stand alone as specimens and serve as focal points in a landscape design. It is the splendor of their blooms that is the focus of these pictures of flowering shrubs. The bushes chosen for this list range from early-spring bloomers to those that flower in late summer.

The blooms of Andromeda shrubs (Pieris japonica) are…MORE strong-smelling. Some would say they are fragrant. But not everyone enjoys their strong aroma. What most people do agree on, however, is that the white flowers on this spring-blooming shrub are a welcome sight after a long winter. Indeed, they are among the earliest-blooming spring flowers. The flowers grow in clusters and are bell-shaped (which inspired the alternate common name of “lily-of-the-valley shrub”).

In fact, Andromeda shrubs can cheer up the winter-weary even before spring arrives. Not only are they evergreens (the broadleaf type, specifically), but their flower buds tend to give visual interest during the winter, offering a reddish hue.

These plants of China and Japan can be grown in planting zones 5-7. Andromeda shrubs can reach 6-8 feet tall and achieve a similar spread. Grow them in a moist, well-drained, acidic soil. They prefer partial shade but will tolerate more shade (although flowering may be reduced). These bushes are deer-resistant shrubs.

Cultivars have been developed that have more to offer than the original species plant. For example, two cultivars known for bearing new growth that is a fiery reddish color are:

• ‘Red Mill’
• ‘Mountain Fire’

Because of their evergreen foliage and shade-tolerance, Andromeda shrubs are popular in foundation plantings. One commonly sees them used in shrub borders, as well.