12 shrubs for year-round interest in small gardens

Shrubs are the backbone of a garden. Long after summer flowers fade, they give shape, shelter and color. The trick is to choose shrubs that each do something different through the year, so there is always something to enjoy. Here are 12 dependable choices for US and UK gardens.

Winter

1. Mahonia. Bright yellow, scented flowers in the middle of winter, followed by blue berries. Mahonia thrives in shade where little else flowers.

2. Skimmia. A compact evergreen with red winter buds and, on female plants, glossy red berries. Skimmia is ideal in pots by the front door.

3. Holly. Glossy evergreen leaves and red berries make holly a winter classic. You need a male plant nearby for berries on females.

4. Camellia. Camellias open their rose-like flowers from late winter into spring. They need acidic soil and shelter from early-morning sun after frost.

Spring

5. Pieris. New leaves emerge bright red before turning green, alongside sprays of bell-shaped flowers. Pieris needs acidic soil.

6. Rhododendron and azalea. Few shrubs flower as boldly in spring. Rhododendrons and azaleas like dappled shade and acidic, moist soil.

7. Forsythia. Forsythia lights up early spring with masses of yellow flowers. Prune right after flowering.

8. Lilac. The scent of lilac is unforgettable. Choose compact varieties for small gardens.

Summer

9. Mock orange. White flowers with an orange-blossom scent in early summer. Mock orange is tough and easy.

10. Smoke bush. Purple-leaved forms of smoke bush have rich foliage all summer and hazy flower plumes, then turn fiery in fall.

Fall

11. Viburnum. Many viburnums offer scented spring flowers, autumn color and berries for birds, all in one plant.

12. Nandina. Heavenly bamboo, nandina, has delicate evergreen leaves that turn red in cold weather, plus red winter berries. In parts of the southeastern US it can spread, so choose sterile varieties there.

Planting and care tips

• Check the final size. Most shrubs grow larger than expected. Allow room for the mature spread, and fill gaps with perennials while they grow.
• Match the soil. Camellias, pieris and rhododendrons need acidic soil; grow them in containers of ericaceous compost if your soil is alkaline.
• Plant in fall. Shrubs planted now root into warm soil and need less watering next summer.
• Prune at the right time. Prune spring-flowering shrubs straight after flowering; prune most summer-flowering shrubs in late winter.
• Mulch every year. A layer of compost or bark keeps roots cool and moist and suppresses weeds.

For more planting ideas this season, see our fall garden checklist and the seasonal gardening calendar.