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How does your summer garden grow? Very well, thanks to these flowering shrubs

Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON
Althea or Rose of Sharon bloom on new growth; they reach 8 to 15 feet, depending on variety, but can pruned to keep their height in check.
Special to the Democrat-Gazette/JANET B. CARSON Althea or Rose of Sharon bloom on new growth; they reach 8 to 15 feet, depending on variety, but can pruned to keep their height in check.

Choosing landscape plants that can take summer's heat will make your life easier. But what if you want a shrub with colorful blooms?

There are flowering shrubs that come back year after year, add color -- and can take the heat.

Here are some of the best for Arkansas gardens:

ABELIA

Grandmother grew glossy abelia, and it was a small-leafed green plant with small, bell-shaped, white flowers. Today there are many better varieties with a range of leaf colors and even some new flower colors.

"Kaleidoscope" is a smaller form that grows to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. New growth appears with lime-green centers and bright yellow edges. When summer arrives, the yellow matures to orange, and the variegation doesn't fade. In fall and winter, foliage color deepens to shades of orange and fiery red.

And as if that wasn't enough color, it bears small white blooms from frost to frost.

"Twist of Lime" is another low grower with white, yellow and green foliage and pale pink blooms, while "Bronze Anniversary" is a variegated, larger abelia that reaches about 48 inches tall.

Some dark pink bloomers include the older variety "Edward Goucher" and the new dwarf "Pinky Bells," which grows only to 24-36 inches tall and has pink blooms all season. The newest

variety, "Sunny Anniversary," has green foliage but a yellow and pink bloom; it grows to 4 feet tall.

In Arkansas, most abelias are evergreen but can shed some leaves in the coldest winters. They thrive in full sun to partial shade and are quite attractive to bees and butterflies.

ALTHEA

Althea or Rose of Sharon, a member of the hibiscus family, has made a big comeback in recent years.

The plants can be pruned as much or as little as you like before growth begins, because they bloom on new growth. Mature height on a standard variety can be 8 to 15 feet, depending on variety, but they can be pruned more if needed.

Flower colors include white, pink, purple and apricot, with bicolor flowers and double-form blossoms available, too.

New varieties do not set seeds so they don't have to be deadheaded and will continue to bloom all summer. "Aphrodite" is a pink flowering form with a dark red center. "Pink Chiffon" has large, lacy, pink double blooms. "Blue Satin" has a large, deep blue single bloom. "Lil Kim" is a dwarf form that only reaches 3 feet tall; its white flowers have a deep red throat.

Altheas thrive in full sun to partial shade and will reward you with months of blooms if given enough light. They do best with moderate amounts of water and fertilizer -- don't overdo it.

HYDRANGEAS

Hydrangeas are in a class by themselves. While most people plant the big-leafed varieties (Hydrangea macrophylla) with mophead or lacecap blooms, there are some other great species to try.

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) thrives in a woodland garden with morning sun and afternoon shade. Large panicles of white flowers fade to dusty rose and then tan. In fall, plants turn fire engine red before dropping their leaves. Standard forms can grow to 8-10 feet tall, while dwarf varieties get no larger than 3 feet.

The Hydrangea paniculata is also making a strong showing in the garden. These hydrangeas bloom on new growth and will take more sun. They also don't wilt nearly as much as the big-leafed forms on hot, dry days. PeeGee or panicle hydrangeas, as they are commonly called, usually have large white blooms that can fade to shades of pink. "Limelight" has pale green to white flowers which fade to white, while "Pink Diamond" has pink and white blooms.

Other new varieties include "White Diamonds," "Chantilly Lace" and the new dwarf "Pinky Winky."

Another hydrangea that blooms on new growth and isn't deflowered by a hard winter is the Annabelle or smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens). From the old-fashioned "Annabelle" with large white blooms to the newer "Invincibelle," "Invincibelle Spirit" and "Invinciball," smooth hydrangeas are notable for blooms so large they weigh canes down after rain.

They prefer morning sun and afternoon shade or dappled shade all day.

BUDDLEIA

Buddleia or butterfly bush is a long-blooming plant with outstanding flowers in purple, pink, white or red. Older varieties grow 5 to 6 feet tall, and some have a sprawling growth habit. New dwarf plants include Lo and Behold "Blue Chip," "Lavender Chip" and "White Chip." These smaller plants are deciduous in colder winters but fit easily into any sunny landscape.

Older varieties set seeds, which germinate at such a high rate the plants have become a bit invasive in some states. New varieties don't set seeds but instead bloom continuously.

Larger varieties include "Miss Molly" with deep red blooms; "Black Knight" with dark purple flowers; "Asian Moon" with lavender blooms; and "Peach Cobbler" with peachy pink blooms.

Full sun provides more flowers. Prune them hard in late February, because they bloom on new growth. If you don't prune, they tend to get woody and less productive. Choose plants that will fit the situation. From dwarf to standards, they thrive in sun.

SPIREA

Summer-blooming spireas are great additions to full sun to partial shade landscapes. Much more compact than their spring-blooming cousins the bridalwreath spirea, summer spireas bloom as long as they put on new growth.

"Anthony Waterer," "Little Princess," "Lime Mound" and "Gold Flame" have been around for many years. Newer introductions include "Magic Carpet," "Double Play" and "Neon Flash."

Deadhead spent blooms and they will continue to flower off and on all summer. Pest-free and drought-tolerant, once established, they are easy to grow but they are deciduous and not the most attractive in winter, so have some evergreens nearby for winter interest.

CLETHRA

Clethra or summersweet is a great native shrub for full sun to partial shade. From standards to dwarfs, this deciduous shrub begins to bloom in late June or July with fragrant pink or white blooms.

Also called sweet pepperbush because of the pepperlike seedpods which persist all winter, it is a low-maintenance shrub for summer landscapes.

"Ruby Spice" is a pink-flowering form growing to 8 feet tall. Two good dwarf forms, "Sixteen Candles" and "Hummingbird," are great bloomers on a compact plant.

CRAPE MYRTLE

Crape myrtles come in groundcover to tree forms, so choose the size you need. They thrive in hot weather and bloom all summer.

Groundcover forms include "Rosy Carpet" and "Orchid Cascade" growing no taller than 2 feet.

Dwarf forms include "Ozark Spring" and "Dwarf White," which get no taller than 5 feet. The new Black Diamond series with dark, almost black foliage, grow 10 to 12 feet tall. The standard Natchez (white flowers) and Biloxi (pink flowers) can get up to 30 feet tall.

Many gardeners mistakenly believe these plants should be pruned back severely every year for good bloom. The practice results in awkward looking plants with knobby trunks and fragile branches.

By choosing a plant that at maturity will fit your landscape needs, you can avoid such "crape murder."

Janet B. Carson is a horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

HomeStyle on 06/21/2014

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