New and exciting plants in my garden this spring

One of the new plants I have added to my garden this year is Euonymus japonica ‘Paloma Blanca’ which sometime goes by the name White Candles.

I have used it to create a short, formal hedge behind which I grow a variety of taller shrubs including purple nine bark, calycanthus and Korean lilac.

The euonymus replaces a drift of Carex ‘Ice Dance’ grasses that had become a little tatty looking.

I fell for his euonymus because of the beautiful white tips of the new growth that make it an eyecatching, attractive, compact shrub. It gets very good reviews from experts across the board.

Here’s how Monovia, one of the top nurseries in the U.S. describes it:

“A delight in the landscape, this compact shrub with dense, dark green foliage welcomes spring with a harmony of brilliant white new leaves. An outstanding choice for a low border or hedge plant, or as a garden accent. The small, upright form fits well into mixed containers and requires little to no pruning. Evergreen.”

It is hardy to Zone 6 and grows between 50-70 cm high and apparently does well in all sorts of soils.

And Plantipp, the international group of top plant growers and breeders in Europe, describes Euonymus ‘Paloma Blanca’ this way:

“From early March until early June, its shows mother-of-pearl coloured shoots. This gives a wow effect in your garden. In summer Paloma Blanca has fresh green leaves. It is a compact, dense shrub and an evergreen. It is ideal as a compact hedge, garden plant, solitary and it fits well into containers. The best location is full sun but semi shade is possible as well. Paloma Blanca is the peace symbol for in your garden!”

Another change I have made this year is to lift a clematis from a container and replaced it with a beautifully structural Japanese white pine, Pinus parviflora ‘Glauca Nana’ with gorgeous blue foliage and an attractive sculptural shape. 

I expect to have to root prune every three years as I am sure it will overgrow the container in that time.

I can’t say I have ever had much success growing weigela, but I am going to try again this spring by planting a few new varieties, notably Date Night, Electric Love and Tuxedo.

A few other plants I will be finding spots for this spring include the following:

Rosa ‘Peach Lemonade’, a disease-resistant shrub rose that produces blooms that start out yellow and slowly change to white and finish blush pink. It grows about 90 cm high.

Physocarpus ‘Panther’, a new purple ninebark with leaves said to be almost “black” and promoted as having a strong resistance to mildew.

I will also be finding spots for a few more hydrangeas, some of which I already have in the garden, including the following:

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