Shrubs that flower throughout summer

There are plenty of shrubs that are great for adding colour, scent and structure to our gardens through summer, says Camilla Phelps, as she reveals some of her favourites

- Camilla Phelps

WHEN we think of summer colour it’s all too easy to focus on the huge range of flowering perennials and annuals. They’re in such great abundance at this time of year, bringing loads of colour and diversity to borders and containers, that somehow shrubs can seem like poor relations by comparison. But let’s not relegate shrubs to sensible, structural winter garden partners or spring glory hunters.

Summer-flowering shrubs are great value plants for gardens large and small. They can be used to provide bold accents in mixed borders, they will easily complement hot and cool colour schemes, and many have a long season of interest, too, which gives a good point of continuity through the season. Pollinators and wildlife will find the flowers just as interesting as perennials – there’s a good reason why buddleja is known as the butterfly bush!

Some shrubs have the capacity to bloom right through the summer and beyond into the autumn. One of the key species for long-lasting summer flowers are hydrangeas and, with hundreds of varieties, you can choose from showy mop tops to the more subtle lace caps and paniculata types, with one for pretty much every garden setting.

Shrubs are often slower growing and thereby largely lower maintenance. Depending on whether they flower on new or old-growth, most need pruning after flowering or in early spring to encourage the next season’s blooms or just to keep them in shape. Once established, shrubs are less likely to succumb to extreme summer weather, be it very dry or excessively wet.