Standout Shrubs with Mike Westphal, the Garden Guru.
Shrubs are some of the most important plants in the landscape offering color, texture, and oftentimes four-season interest. They can also create shade, attract birds or give you privacy from neighbors or a busy street. Mike Westpahl, McDonald Garden Center’s Garden Guru, has selected three of his favorite shrubs that thrive in Hampton Roads.
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Firepower Nandina – the perfect choice if you’re looking to add easy color and texture to the landscape. Firepower is one of the best coloring nandina with bright green foliage in spring that turns a brilliant fire-red in fall through winter. Firepower is loved for its oriental appeal with their bamboo-like stalks and fern-like foliage. This sun-loving, evergreen shrub reaches approximately 30 inches tall and wide and is ideal in borders, mass planting, or containers.
Kaleidoscope Abelia – provides continually swirling color throughout all seasons featuring variegated, bright yellow and green foliage and petite, white flowers during the warm season that changes to brilliant shades of red and deep orange during the winter months. This low, compact selection reaches 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall and 3 to 3 1/2 feet wide and works well as a foundation plant, low hedge, mass planting or in patio containers. Abelia prefers partial to full sun.
Encore Azaleas – if you love the colorful flowers that an azaleas offers, then you’ll love the Encore varieties. Encores bloom three times per year – summer, spring, and fall, yes, even fall! This repeat bloomer adds vivid, multi-seasonal color unlike any other azalea and can grow to 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide or 5 feet by 5 feet, depending on the variety. Perfect planted in garden beds and borders, foundation plantings, large containers or as a focal point in the garden. Encore prefer partial sun to partial shade, although they can tolerate more sun than most other varieties.
At McDonald Garden Center, you’ll find a wide variety of shrubs that flourish in our area. Our expert staff can help find the right varieties for any situation.
