Rapidly expanding shrub varieties to consider for your garden.
Get Your Garden Poppin' with Fast-Growin' Shrubs!
Want your garden to look fabulous now instead of later? No problem! Fast-growin' shrubs will have your landscape bustlin' with beauty in no time. Here's the lowdown on some of the best options to create an instant impact.
Speedy Shrubs — A Quick Fix for Impressive Landscapes
Fast-growin' shrubs are perfect if you're in a hurry or if you want to establish a new border or garden pronto. These vigorous growers produce flowers early on, allowing them to make an impact while slower-growers get up to speed.
Plantin' Tips for Fast-Growin' Shrubs
To ensure your shrubs root and establish smoothly, follow these simple steps:
- Plant at the Right Time: Plant during the cooler seasons (fall or early spring) to avoid stress and promote healthy growth.
- Provide Adequate Water: Kepp the soil consistently moist, especially during the first year after plantin'.
- Fertilize: Use a well-balanced fertilizer in the spring to support growth and flowerin'.
- Prune Regularly: Give your shrubs an annual trim to maintain their shape and encourage dense growth.
- Mulch Around Base: A generous layer of mulch helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.
Expert Advice on Prunin' Shrubs
Don't miss out on this quick video by gardening guru David Hurrion, where he shares the basics of prunin' shrubs. Follow along as he explains essential techniques, such as where to make cuts and the three Ds—removing dead, diseased, and damaged stems. You'll also learn how to improve air circulation by cuttin' out congested and twiggy stems.
Hydrangeas: A Flower Powerhouse
Hydrangeas are popular for a reason! These easy-to-grow beauties can establish quickly and make an impression in just a few seasons. But with so many varieties available, it might be hard to choose? Fear not! Here are nine top-notch hydrangeas to consider:
- '#1 Big Daddy Hydrangea': A vigorous grower with large blooms that turn pink in acidic soil and blue in alkaline soil.
- '#2 Invincibelle Spirit': A compact variety with pink and white blooms, adaptable to different soil and sun conditions
- '#3 Limelight Hydrangea': Known for its large, pink-to-lime green blooms that maintain their color throughout the season.
- '#4 Mophead Hydrangea': showy, large blooms in shades of pink, blue, or purple depending on your soil's acidity
- '#5 Oak Leaf Hydrangea': Distinctive, oak-shaped foliage, creamy white blooms, and exfoliating bark that adds winter interest
Lavatera's Explosion of Color
Lavatera (tree mallows or shrubby mallows) can really pack a punch when it comes to growth! Many varieties produce loads of hollyhock-like flowers in their first year itself. To get the most out of Lavatera, follow these tips:
- Plant: In fertile, well-drained soil in full sun in a sheltered spot.
- Care: Cut back in spring.
- Example: Lavatera maritima is a beautiful species with reddish-purple flowers and fragrant foliage.
Bamboo: Be Aware of Spreadin' Roots
Bamboos are notorious for their rapid growth and potentially invasive nature. Some varieties can grow outwards as well as upwards. If you're worried about them takin' over, consider plantin' 'em in containers or set up a barrier around the roots to limit their spread. Generally, Phyllostachys species are more likely to spread, whereas Fargesia remain more manageable.
Buddleia: Attract Butterflies with Fragrant Flowers
Buddleias are easy to growth and attract butterflies with their mostly pink, magenta, and purple flowers. Remember to give 'em a good trim in spring. Buddleja davidii 'Summer Beauty' is a compact variety perfect for small gardens.
Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin': Add Red Leaves to Your Garden
This attractive evergreen looks great on its own or as part of a quick-growin' hedge. Young leaves are tinted red as they unfold. Plant in full sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil.
Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfennii: Low-Maintenance Beauty
This fast-growin', low-maintenance shrub has an acid-yellow flowers in spring and is surprisingly drought tolerant. Simply snip off faded flowers (wearing gloves to protect yourself from the irritant sap).
Rosa 'Rambling Rector': A Climber with a Wild Heart
This rampant rose requires plenty of space as it can reach a spread of 6m. Its shade tolerance makes it a good option for covering walls or sheds.
Cornus alba: Showy Winter Stems
This speedy-growin' shrub is grown primarily for its striking winter stems. Plant in full sun in any type of soil. Just keep in mind that it can get quite large, so make sure you have enough room to accommodate its growth. Prune in early spring to control its size.
Willow: Charmin' Winter Stems for Any Soil
Willows are known for their attractive winter stems, especially Salix alba var. vitellina 'Yelverton', which boasts vivid orange stems and is suitable for even wet soils. Coppice in the spring for stunning stems the following winter.
Prunus lusitanica: A Fast-Growin' Evergreen
This fast-growin' evergreen has red stems and can reach a considerable size. It's a great candidate for topiary or hedging, and thrives best in a sheltered spot with full sun or partial shade.
Embrace the beauty of your home-and-garden transformation by adding fast-growing shrubs like Hydrangeas, Lavatera, or Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' to your lifestyle. Adequate care, including planting at the right time, providing adequate water, fertilizing, pruning regularly, and mulching, will ensure these shrubs thrive and enhance your home-and-garden rapidly.
