What are some nice small/short bushes that are colorful for landscaping?

Answer 1

Blackbird Spurge (Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’) – Purple/Black Foliage – The blackbird euphorbia is a relatively new introduction in America and is larger and more sprawling than other euphorbias. This evergreen plant can grow 2’ x 2’ and has dark purple, nearly black foliage in full sun. Pink flower buds open to reveal green-yellow flowers that contrast beautifully with the dark foliage. A year-round accent for small gardens or containers, the dark purple evergreen foliage makes a dramatic statement.

Chinese Stranvaesia Photinia (Photinia davidiana var. undulata prostrata) – Plum/Maroon Foliage –The Photinia (Stranvaesia) evergreen shrub is one that will add an amazing amount of beauty and interest to your garden year round. One called the Chinese Stranvaesia it is now classified as a Photinia and is not used enough for evergreen interest in a winter landscape. The foliage of this broadleaf evergreen turns a deep maroon, nearly plum color in the fall and remains that way all through the winter. In the summer the evergreen foliage slowly turns to a bright green and the berries begin to darken so that by fall the plant is covered with bright red berries. Photinia prefers sun or light shade and moist but well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. Photinia dadividana undulate grows to about 5’ tall and the variety undulate prostrata only reaches about 3’ tall unless trained up a wall or fence because of its sprawling nature.

Purple Hopseed Bush (Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea') – Red Foliage --The hopbush or varnishleaf shrub is a Florida native that isn’t cold hardy, but does exhibit bright red winter foliage. A large evergreen shrub, the hopseed bush grows to be about 10’ tall and wide. Spring and fall flowers are followed by pendulous seed pods that are highly attractive in the garden. The hopseed bush prefers full sun but will tolerate drought, wind, poor sandy soil or salty ocean spray.

Powis Castle Wormwood (Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’) – Silver Foliage –-This lovely shrub is evergreen in warmer areas and highly prized for the fuzzy, fern like foliage that makes such an excellent backdrop for other plants and shrubs in the garden. Artemisia grows to be about 3’ tall and 2’ wide and has lovely silver foliage. Artemisia grows well in full sun and well-drained soil. The fine-cut foliage is also aromatic making this shrub a well-known addition to aromatic gardens as well as perennial borders and foundation plantings.

Carol Mackie Daphne (Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’) – Cream and Green - -- This daphne plant is a beautiful evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub that adds a welcome and subtle change of color. The Carol Mackie’s leaves are green with creamy-white edges and the foliage is evergreen in most areas. This pretty evergreen shrub also features fragrant spring flowers in pale pink or lavender. Carol Macki daphne is also a compact shrub that grows only to 3’-4’ tall and 4’ wide. The daphne prefers full sun or part shade in moist well-drained soil. More difficult to propagate than to grow, and toxic if ingested, daphne shrubs appreciate a layer of mulch and some winter protection.

Variegated Adam’s Needle (Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’) – Yellow and Green – This evergreen yucca plant is an amazing cultivar known as ‘Color Guard’ because the upright foliage leaves are yellow with green edges. Hardy and long-lived the yucca plant tolerates dry conditions after it is established the first couple seasons. Full sun is preferred but part shade is tolerated though the yucca plant won’t grow as large. Yuccas grow 2-3’ tall and 3-4’ wide with upright or slightly arching evergreen foliage. The yucca plant also have tall flower stalks that appear once the plant has reached maturity and grow about 4-5’ tall. The yucca flowers last for several weeks and are fragrant as well as attractive to butterflies. The evergreen yucca does equally well in cold weather, hot weather, wind or drought.

Forsythia in a smaller, more graceful shrub. --green/greengold--From France comes a series of very low growers all with cultivar names that include "Court", such as 'Courtasol', or 'Courtacour', but are more frequently sold under their trademark names of 'Golden Peep', 'Goldilocks', and 'Gold Tide'. All mature at under 3 feet, and are covered head to toe in flowers in early spring. Of the three, 'Gold Tide' is the least showy in flower, although it has attractive foliage and a spreading, slightly arching habit that makes it an ideal groundcover plant. These smaller forsythias also sell well because they look very appealing in containers. Another new forsythia is 'Fiesta', with bright gold leaves edged in green and a reddish tinge to the new stems. The gold remains clear and strong and does not leach out in full sun.

Weigela florida--Burgundy-- The Dancer Series, for compact habit and improved flower color, offers a nice array of flower colors on shrubs scaled down to meet the needs of today's smaller gardens; 'Rumba', 'Polka', 'Minuet', and 'Samba'. The hardiest of these are 'Samba' at 2 to 3 feet in height, with red flowers and dark green foliage edged in purple, and 'Polka', an extremely floriferous pink selection that reaches 4 to 5 feet in height. Two weigelas offer dark purple foliage. 'Wine and Roses', reaches standard weigela height and displays pink flowers against rich purple leaves. It is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Gold Medal, which recognizes landscape plants of outstanding merit. 'Midnight Wine', is a diminutive version of 'Wine and Roses' that reaches only 2 feet in height and makes a nice addition to plantings of herbaceous perennials or annuals.
Black Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) – Purple/Black Foliage – 'Black Beauty', is an improved version of with rich dark purple foliage.
S. nigra 'Pulverulenta' --Albino -- Its pale green leaves are so densely spotted with cream, white and pink that little green is visible, and the lack of chlorophyll results in a slow-growing plant that is best sheltered from the strong afternoon sunlight.

Spiraea bumalda --Bluegreen-- ‘Anthony Waterer’ is probably the best-known summer-blooming spirea, and has been available to gardeners since 1890. The leaves emerge as bronzy red and mature to blue-green as flat-top, carmine-pink flowers appear in early summer. It typically grows 3–4 feet tall and 4–6 feet wide. A similar plant, ‘Crispa’, has serrated and twisted leaves.

Spiraea japonica--Golden -- ‘Goldmound’, ‘Golden Princess’, ‘Limemound’, ‘Candlelight’, and ‘Magic Carpet’ are noted for their smaller size (generally under 3 feet), and more consistent yellow foliage color than ‘Goldflame’. If yellow leaves with pink flowers strike a dissonant chord, ask your local garden center about ‘White Gold’. This cultivar combines chartreuse foliage and flat-top white flowers.

Try 'Magic Carpet' with 'Princess Irene' tulips for a stunning spring combination

Answer 2

Short Bushes For Landscaping

Answer 3

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Answer 4

You haven't mentioned where you live, so you will have to check these out for your area:

Nandina domestica - Nana the small one is good but the new varieties 'Moonbay' etc are fantastic in the way they colour but are evergreen in the seasons. A hedge of 'moonbay' is salmon pink in spring, green in summer and lipstick red in winter.

Raphiolepis indica (indian hawthorn), lovely pink or white flower in spring and drought tolerant.

Berberis thunbergii - lots of variegated colours if you have full sun, and the mini crimson leaf one is my favourite.

Gardenia augusta - these are great if you are chasing a long flowering time.

Euonymus japonica and E. fortunei have lovely coloured leaf varieties that are evergreen.

Buxus (Box) - there are small variegated leaf varieties, just as hardy as the green varieties.

The purple spurge recommended by gardenga sounds great if I wasn't in another country I'd order one. I wouldn't recommend the Dodonaea though they are an Australian, NZ, Sth American and South African native not Florida and they are terribly short lived if the weather is very hot. They also grow to 3m if the conditions are right.

Between every ones suggestions you should really get some good choices to pick from.

Answer 5

I'm not 100% sure, but you could check out this web site. It will tell you which plants you should use for your zone. If you dont' know your zone, it'll tell you on there too.

www.gurneys.com

good luck.

Answer 6

I love potentilla. http://www.stewo.no/P/Potentilla%20aurea%202.jpg

But you can also plant zinnias in clumps and they will look like bushes that bloom different colored flowers.

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=8691