Flowers are usually the first thing someone notices about a plant. After all, you can’t miss the bold orange blooms of a daylily or a giant sunflower, but once those flowers fade, there’s not a whole lot to attract attention. So if your borders are looking a bit blasé, some of the best plants you can invest in are a few multiseason shrubs. They provide structure for borders filled with annuals and perennials and grow happily in the garden for years. Even better, they have more than one season of interest so they keep the show going even after the flowers fade.
MULTISEASON BENEFITS Foliage is one of the ways shrubs provide nonstop border color. You’ll find some with variegated leaves or that change color seasonally. Flowering shrubs often produce berries or seedheads that are interesting to gardeners and provide a meal for hungry birds. Others, such as the oakleaf hydrangea at right, have flowers that dry in place, lasting well into winter. Once the foliage drops, its peeling bark brings a whole new dimension to late-season gardens. And this impressive plant is just the beginning. Turn the page to meet more multiseason shrubs.
Sherri gardens on a large double city lot with plenty of room to experiment. This means
