Landscape Plants

A guide to species and cultivars of popular or useful plants for landscaping or use in public green spaces, with tips on how to use them.

Tsuga

From bonsai, rock garden and ground cover to dense hedges and extremely elegant trees up to 50m tall, the small genus of Tsuga may only have 10 species of evergreen conifers but it has variety and versatility.

24 September 2021 , By Sally Drury

Vaccinium

Pretty flowers, shiny leaves and delicious berries make this an appealing choice for garden designers, writes Sally Drury.

Lupinus

Bold flower spikes bring a wide mix of colours to the garden and add height to traditional borders.

Corylopsis

Bright flowers and sweet scent merit a higher profile in garden design for these undervalued shrubs, Sally Drury insists.

Magnolia

Good pictorial labelling and effective use of point-of-sale material is crucial for these showy flowers, says Sally Drury.

Japanese cherries

Spectacular spring blossom makes these trees highly valuable in garden designs and urban landscapes, writes Sally Drury.

Cornus

This diverse and ornamental genus presents opportunities for retailers as well as landscapers, writes Sally Drury.

Malus

An abundance of spring blossom ensures flowering crab apple trees’ reputation as jewels of the landscape, notes Sally Drury.

Cotoneaster

Their wide diversity makes these plants ideal and popular for many garden and landscape purposes, Sally Drury finds.

Carpinus

These trees are ideal for parks and gardens and many will tolerate pollution in urban areas, notes Sally Drury.

Calluna vulgaris

These plants survive severe exposure and make good ground cover in cityscapes to wildlife gardens, writes Sally Drury.

Hebe

These plants are enjoyed for their dense spikes, panicles or racemes of flowers and for their foliage, writes Sally Drury.

Quercus

Oak trees are iconic, produce spectacular autumn foliage and benefit the natural environment, Sally Drury reports.

Grower
Perrywood Garden Centre and Nurseries Tiptree, Colchester
Senior Horticulturist (Trees and Shrubs)
Cambridge University Botanic Garden Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Senior Horticulturist (Glasshouses)
Cambridge University Botanic Garden Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Team Leader (Glasshouses and Nursery)
Cambridge University Botanic Garden Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Full Time Gardener
R A Wills Middleton Estate Longparish, Andover

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Spiraea

With a wide variety in habit, flowers and foliage, these ornamental plants ensure months of enjoyment, says Sally Drury.

Crataegus

These shrubs and trees have for centuries been used as boundaries and are also important for wildlife, Sally Drury finds.

Leptospermum

These long-lasting pretty flowers add a splash of colour to borders in spring and summer, says Miranda Kimberley.

Hebe

These colourful, undemanding and versatile evergreen shrubs offer year-round interest, Miranda Kimberley finds.

Olearia

Attractive colours and simple daisy-like flowers make these little-used shrubs very appealing, Miranda Kimberley finds.

Corokia

These underrated evergreen shrubs or small trees can be good alternatives to box hedging, writes Miranda Kimberley.

Hedera

Ivies can clothe walls or provide ground cover and are ideal for brightening a dark corner, says Miranda Kimberley.

Cryptomeria

These evergreen architectural plants provide feathery foliage and seasonal colour, writes Miranda Kimberley.

Libertia

These pretty flowers are great for amenity planting and combine well with grasses, says Miranda Kimberley.

Deutzia

These versatile flowering shrubs offer great value and are easy to grow, notes Miranda Kimberley.

Abelia

Glossy leaves and fragrant flowers can provide welcome colour at bleaker times of the year, Miranda Kimberley finds.

Thalictrum

These elegant plants are ideal for gardens with a shady area and soil that will not dry out, notes Miranda Kimberley.

Sambucus

Versatile and tough, this genus is easy to grow and is tolerant of a wide range of soils, says Miranda Kimberley.

Thuja

These attractive trees and shrubs add great value to the landscape and are good for hedging, says Miranda Kimberley.

Choisya

These evergreen, aromatic shrubs work well in gardens, parks and amenity schemes, writes Miranda Kimberley.

Alnus

Tough alder trees can be economic as well as offering decorative leaves, catkins and cones, writes Miranda Kimberley.

Myrtus

Myrtle is a tender shrub so it is a plant for milder gardens, but with our changing climate the limits are being pushed, says Miranda Kimberley.

Pyrus

Attractive ornamental pear trees are great for street planting as well as gardens, writes Miranda Kimberley.

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