Green Thumb Corner

European Variegated Dogwood, Cornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata', is one of the larger ornamental shrubs with attractive cream and green variegated foliage. This plant has year-round appeal in the landscape, displaying variegated leaves in summer and vibrant red branches in winter. It needs sun to partial shade; prefers moist, well-drained soil but tolerates a range of soil conditions. It is rapid growing and has showy, green and white variegated leaves that last till fall. Dramatic in mass plantings and works well in the small home garden. Prune hard in late winter because the new growth is the most brilliantly colored. The tree form elevates the bright red wood in winter.

The Cardinal Red Osier Dogwood, Cornus sericea 'Cardinal', is a MNRC introduction. The Cardinal Red Osier Dogwood was selected for its bright red winter twig color. Cardinal Red is best grown in organically rich, medium wet to wet soils in full sun to part shade but tolerates a wide range of soils, including swampy or boggy conditions. Cardinal Red Osier is a hybrid Dogwood that was developed by the University of Minnesota in 1986. NC-7 Trials top-performing plant. 2004 Plant of Merit. Tiny white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Flowers give way to clusters of creamy white fruit in late summer. Fruit is very attractive to birds and is generally considered to have as much if not more ornamental interest than the flowers. Dark green leaves turn an attractive red-purple in autumn.

Dwarf Forsythia, Forsythia viridissima 'Bronxensis', has attractive bright yellow flowers that are produced in early spring on a low growing compact plant and can be used as a groundcover. It blooms from top to bottom and slightly later flowering than most other Forsythias. The bright green foliage turns a bronze-purple fall color. Dwarf Forsythia is good for mass plantings or used as a low hedge. It is naturally very compact and self-branching so is perfect for today's smaller landscapes. This plant fits well in perennial and shrub borders as well as foundation plantings and needs full sun or light shade. It is a rapid grower and usually matures at about 4 feet in height.

Northern Sun Forsythia, Forsythia 'Northern Sun', is a hardy Forsythia with huge, bright, spectacular yellow flowers in early spring before the foliage appears. This upright grower has medium green foliage on arching branches and is excellent as a border, screen or bank plant. It is specifically recommended for landscape use in northern areas where common Forsythias are not reliably hardy. Pruning is useful to keep the plant shorter and more compact. Northern Sun needs approximately one third of the older stems removed immediately following bloom to encourage the growth of new shoots from the base. The shrub is adaptable to a wide range of soils and has no serious pests or diseases. Plants should receive full sun to encourage more blossoms. It grows 8 to10 feet with a width of 7 to 9 feet.

Weeping Forsythia, Forsythia suspensa var. sieboldii, is an early spring blooming shrub with bright yellow flowers on widely arching branches. Its yellow flowers appear before the leaves. It is an excellent plant to grow as a bank cover because of its upright, arching form. Weeping Forsythia has a clean, green summer foliage with a weeping growth habit. The best growing area is in full sun with any reasonable soil, and it tolerates city conditions. Weeping Forsythia transplants well and grows rapidly. This Forsythia is useful on banks because the branches root where they touch the ground. It is a deciduous shrub 8' to 10' tall and 10' to 15' wide.

The Lynwood Gold Forsythia, Forsythia x intermedia 'Lynwood Gold', is an old time favorite with an upright spreading habit and big yellow flowers up the entire length of stem. It is one of the best and most reliable of forsythias. The flowering stems appear as deep golden wands in April. 'Lynwood Gold' is a dense growing plant with an upright habit. Forsythia is excellent for hedging, fast growing and tolerant of moist soils. 'Lynwood Gold' grows 6 to 8 feet tall and wide and does best in sun to light shade. Allow plants to develop for the first three years with minimal pruning. Once plants are established prune in midspring after flowering by thinning out crowded stems from the center of the shrub. Also remove one or two old stems from the base. A little pruning will go a long way to keep your forsythia attractive and free flowering!

Afterglow Winterberry, Ilex verticillata 'Afterglow', is a compact growing, female selection that has abundant bright orange-red fruit in the fall. The glossy, deep green summer foliage turns yellow to purple-bronze in fall. Winterberries are the "queens" of the fruiting shrub world when ranked for ornamental value. The fruiting branches are great for decoration in the garden or in the house. The leaves drop off the plant in late fall to expose the beautiful berries. You'll need both male and female plants to produce fruits, and Afterglow requires Ilex 'Jim Dandy' as a pollinator for berries. Plant in sun or part shade. They like moist to wet, slightly acid soils.

Honeyrose Honeysuckle, Lonicera 'Honeyrose', is a large, summer flowering shrub that has deep, rosy-red flowers and attractive, deep blue-green foliage. The foliage is aphid resistant. An excellent plant because of its abundance of bloom and makes a great hedge, windbreak or screening. Honeyrose is very drought resistant and grows 10 feet in width and height. It has a broad, upright habit, flowers bloom early spring on old growth, and it has small, red fruits that ripen late summer. The foliage is of medium texture. It is very site adaptable and fast growing. It prefers sun to part shade. Honeysuckles are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. Many honeysuckles will thrive in containers as well.

Miniglobe Honeysuckle, Lonicera x xylosteoides 'Miniglobe', is a naturally compact plant that has dense blue-green foliage and the small white flowers produce inconspicuous red fruit. Makes an excellent foundation plant or can be used as a low hedge. A low maintenance xeriscape plant, Miniglobe has outstanding dense green foliage on a compact hardy shrub. Excellent for formal hedging and drought tolerant, this honeysuckle has improved hardiness, compact growth and superior foliage. It grows 3-4 feet in height and width. Honeysuckles are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. Many honeysuckles will thrive in containers as well.

The Hydrangea 'Late Panicle', Hydrangea paniculata 'Tardiva', This shrub has white airy flowers that can reach 10-12" in length in late August. The flowers are a mixture of sterile and fertile flowers which gives the flowers less density and less likelihood to tip or droop. Flowers will turn bronze in fall.These shrubs are fast growing and are great for informal screens, specimen plants, or for cut arrangements. Prune every year in the fall after blooming, no more than 1/3 of the plant. These plants look best when they are kept pruned to keep them thick at the base. They are hardy and will not need to be covered to flower.

Unique PeeGee Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata 'Unique', has extremely large flower panicles that presents a great floral display in late summer. The flowers bloom white, maturing to pink in fall. This upright rounded Hydrangea with dark green foliage is an excellent accent. It produces self-clinging, aerial roots that easily attach to just about anything: pergola, wall, fence or tree, and may need 10 years to reach its full height, but patience pays off with this spectacular deciduous specimen. It requires average water needs so water regularly; do not overwater. It is most at home along the edge of a sunny wooded border or where the landscape is loose and informal. It prefers full sun and reaches a height and width of 6-10 feet. PeeGee flowers are good for drying and preserving.

The Lilac 'James Macfarlane', Syringa presoniae 'James Macfarlane', blooms two weeks later than Syringa vulgaris types. The true single pink flowers bloom freely. It is extremely hardy and adaptable, withstanding moisture conditions fatal to vulgaris hybrids. This lilac has an upright shape.James Macfarlanes are a elegant, hardy shrub which will make a colourful informal hedge, or can be grown as a specimen shrub or small tree. The large clusters of deliciously scented flowers bloom in May and June and are attractive to butterflies. Lilacs should be grown in fertile, humus-rich, well drained soil.