Every week we’re publishing a NEW Plant Picks of the Week story, showcasing our Plant Specialists’’ top plant picks. Get ready to be inspired!
We recently asked Leslie Hammond to share her top plant picks. Here’s what she had to say:
Summer Fun Chinese Dogwood
Cornus kousa ‘Summer Fun’
A lovely upright dogwood with rich, contrasting green and white leaves, turning shades of red and pink in fall; covered in gorgeous white blooms in late spring; vigorous and tolerant of most soils except very wet or dry
Arctic Fire® Red Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’
A compact, dwarf form and very hardy shrub, ideal for general garden use in northern landscapes; intense red stems stand out against the winter snow, excellent for massing; some suckering
Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea
Hydrangea serrata ‘MAK20’
An attractive, re-blooming shrub featuring showy white to light-pink lacecap flowers with creamy centers, that turn more blue in acid soil; re-blooms on new and old wood; deep green leaves turn burgundy in fall
Miss Violet Butterfly Bush
Buddleia ‘Miss Violet’
A valuable compact garden plant with spectacular dark purple-violet spikes of flowers in summer; attracts butterflies; may treat as a perennial and cut it back to the ground each spring as it regrows vigorously and blooms on new wood; seedless
Weeping Norway Spruce
Picea abies ‘Pendula’
An artistic specimen or accent tree for the discerning landscape, featuring an erratic central leader and gracefully trailing branches that hang pendulously; narrow habit, but give adequate room for it to stand apart