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The Best Shrubs for Spring Flower and Foliage

For many of us, our gardens really start to come back to life from their winter dormancy in mid-to late-March – depending, of course, on the weather. At this time, spring-flowering hellebores will have buds coming up, snowdrops will be flowering, and daffodils will be on the way. Read our guide to the best shrubs for brilliant spring flower and foliage.

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There are many good early-flowering perennials, such as Bergenia, Pulsatilla and Pulmonaria, as well as Hellebores. But most garden perennials are still putting on vegetative growth, having died back over the winter. Really, the spring months belong to the shrubs.

Shrubs for Spring Foliage

Acer

Acer shirasawanum ‘Moonrise’

Japanese maples have so much going for them as all-year-round shrubs or trees for the smaller garden. They offer dappled shade from attractive foliage in the summer, striking autumn colour and winter stems. In the spring, most varieties will put on brightly coloured new foliage. There are too many great varieties to name, but one Hillier favourite is Acer shirasawanum ‘Moonrise’, with beautiful pink-tinged new growth maturing to lime green in the summer and butter yellow in the autumn.

Most acers prefer slightly acid soil but will perform in neutral conditions reasonably well. They need little pruning beyond trimming out any damaged or dead stems in March.

Photinia

Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’

Photinia are evergreen shrubs of medium to large size that typically have tough, mid-to-dark green leaves, although there are also some good variegated varieties now. Photinia responds well to pruning and makes a very good hedging plant – a good alternative to cherry laurel, although it also needs regular trimming to keep it in check.

The best-known variety is Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’, or for smaller spaces, try the compact dwarf version, P. ‘Little Red Robin.’ In the spring, as it awakens from dormancy, the new shoots are bright red and upright.

Pieris

Pieris ‘Flaming Silver’

Pieris japonica are Japanese woodland plants that require acidic soil to thrive. They do well in partial shade and are useful to bring colour to an otherwise drab area of the garden.

Most varieties of Pieris hold buds through the autumn and then flower in the winter or early spring. Most are white-flowered, although pinks and reds are becoming more common. The main spring show, though, is the new foliage. Many varieties have names referencing fire. P. ‘Forest Flame’ and P. ‘Flaming Silver’ are two beautiful varieties. The new shoots appear in shades of red, orange and pink like candle flames above the older leaves. A spectacular spring bonfire of colours.

Shrubs for Spring Flower

Chaenomeles

Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’

The ornamental quince is a lovely shrub for the border or for training against a wall. It flowers in early spring on bare branches and holds its flowers for a good period of time. Flower colour ranges from white through orange to red and pink and in the autumn, you will have the added bonus of yellow-green fruit. The stems carry sharp spines, so take care when planting or pruning.

These are not true quinces (which are the fruit of the tree Cydonia oblonga), but they are edible and make a fragrant, pink-tinged jam or jelly.

Magnolia

Magnolia stellata ‘Royal Star’

This family of much-loved shrubs or small trees includes both deciduous and evergreen species. The deciduous types are famed for their spring show and modern varieties are consistent flowerers in all but the worst cold spells.

Magnolia stellata varieties such as ‘Royal Star’ and ‘Waterlily’ have generally white, star-shaped flowers, while M. liliflora and M. loebneri varieties such as ‘Leonard Messel’ and ‘Susan’ have cup-shaped blooms and offer a range of colours in pinks and purples. Rarer varieties with yellow flowers are becoming more available; look out for a variety called ‘Yellow Bird’. Evergreen Magnolias (varieties of M. grandiflora) are better suited to a Mediterranean climate and are rather more sporadic in their flowering.

Daphne

Daphne

In the opinion of many, this is the best spring-flowering shrub of all. Daphne flowers are usually small, white or pink, and extremely fragrant. Paradoxically, they are quite straightforward in the garden despite being very difficult to produce commercially, which means they command quite a high price.

Over the years, Hillier Nurseries have bred a number of Daphne varieties and some remain among the best-loved today, such as Daphne x transatlantica Pink Fragrance or Daphne x transatlantica Eternal Fragrance.

When to Prune Spring Flowering Shrubs

It is best to wait until the flowers on your shrubs have faded before you prune them. Spring shrubs frequently bloom on the previous year’s growth. By pruning at this stage, you are allowing enough time for next year’s flowers to develop.

It is best to wait until late winter to significantly reduce the size of your spring-flowering shrub.

Not sure when you should prune what? Read our Annual Pruning Guide for advice.

How to Prune Spring Flowering Shrubs

It’s important to follow a few basic rules when it comes to pruning your spring-flowering shrubs.

Remove any diseased, damaged or dead shoots
To avoid overcrowding, cut stems back where there may be congestion
Remove the wispy, fragile stems to ensure the larger ones gain the resources for an increase in flower or quality

Want to know more? Discover our Top Tips for Pruning in Spring!

Discover your next spring shrub!