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It’s the start of Autumn on our Herefordshire nursery and the low golden sunlight casts a beautiful glow across our shrub beds and tunnels. Their foliage is alive with rich colour and texture – so striking, we couldn’t resist capturing a few photos. It’s moments like these that remind us exactly why we love shrubs so much.
Shrubs give our gardens shape and form, especially in winter when many perennials and annuals die back. Evergreen shrubs keep their leaves all year, providing greenery even in the coldest months and evergreen doesn’t just mean green varieties such as Eucalyptus gunnii Azura (PBR), Skimmias and Pittosporums. Many evergreen shrubs provide a riot of colour hues, ranging from the rich aubergine
shades of Lophomyrtus ‘Magic Dragon’, pink-burgundy tones of Coprosma ‘Eclipse’ through to Pittosporum Bannow Bay with its wavy, cream edged leaves that are grey-green, turning to a rich maroon in winter or the Heavenly bamboo Nandina Blush Pink with its ever-changing foliage, both deep green and brilliant red in Autumn and soft pink new growth in Spring.
Unlike perennials, which we often squeeze in here and there, choosing a shrub can feel like a much bigger decision. Shrubs are the anchors in the wide-open sea of a perennial garden bed — they give structure, shape, and permanence. And sometimes, the choice feels so important that we put it off altogether – known as ‘planting paralysis’, ‘shrub stalling syndrome’ or ‘foliage faffing’ – that overwhelming feeling when the decision feels too big (we made that up but we’ve all been there).
So, as we stand in our nursery admiring the care, expertise, and attention that’s gone into growing our beautiful homegrown shrubs, we had the idea to put together this guide to help you choose the right shrub for your garden or container.
Best Shrubs for Year-Round Colour
If you are after constant interest from season to season, these shrubs tick every box with their changing foliage, structure, and sometimes even berries or flowers:
Nandina Obsessed – Fiery red new growth in spring, lush green summer foliage, and striking red tones in autumn and winter. Looks stunning alongside Ligustrum Sunshine and Leucothoe Burning Love
Leucothoe Little Flames (PBR) – Evergreen and deeply colourful, it offers rich reds and purples in colder months.
Coprosma Eclipse – Glossy, variegated foliage that glows in the garden and pairs beautifully with Pittosporum Bannow Bay Choisya Ternata Sundance – We love the ways its brilliant golden foliage lights up darker corners of the garden.
Planting Tip: Mix with contrasting textures like Ceanothus Repens or Cistus Creticus for year-round drama.
Wildlife-Friendly Shrubs
To give your garden an extra eco boost, wildlife-friendly shrubs can be used to support pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects with nectar-rich flowers and shelter-giving habitats:
Buddlejas are loved by the butterflies but sometimes we are not so keen on the way they sprawl and take over our garden beds. The Buddleja Butterfly Candy Range – Little Purple & Little Ruby and Lila Sweetheart have been bred to be compact, vivid in colour, attractive to butterflies as well as being loved by us for their neat and tidy habit. Ceanothus Southmead and Concha – Their electric-blue blooms are a bee magnet. Sambucus Black Lace – Loved for its flowers and berries that attract both insects and birds. Hypericum Miracle Night (PBR) – Provides berries and shelter.
Planting Tip: Combine with Caryopteris Blue Balloon or Sapphire Dream for late summer colour and pollinator appeal.
Clipping, Topiary, Feature and Formal Structure Shrubs
If you are looking to add structure, rhythm, or a touch of formality to your garden without going full topiary, Ligustrum and Pittosporum are two superb choices. Both are easy to grow, evergreen, and respond beautifully to clipping — making them ideal candidates for shaping into balls, domes, cones, or even more creative forms.
Why They Work So Well: Ligustrum Sunshine brings a pop of golden foliage that glows all year. It clips cleanly and holds its shape well, making it perfect for formal punctuation in borders, container displays, or repeating shapes along a path. Pittosporum Golf Ball is almost naturally spherical, so it takes very little effort to maintain a crisp, tidy shape. Its soft green or silvery foliage adds a calming contrast to flowering perennials and grasses.
Where to Use Them: In borders: Use clipped shapes to act as calm visual anchors amid looser planting. A neatly clipped Pittosporum ball, for example, looks stunning surrounded by a frothy mix of Salvias, Geraniums, or ornamental grasses. In repetition: Place a series of clipped Ligustrum balls down a path or through a border to create flow and draw the eye. As focal points: A single, larger clipped shrub in a raised bed or at the centre of a small garden can add instant structure and elegance.
Planting Tip:
Line pathways with Pittosporum Golf Ball and flank with Skimmia japonica Rubella for evergreen interest.
Design Tip:
Balance formal clipped shapes with naturalistic planting — think Pittosporum domes next to billowy Verbena bonariensis or Ligustrum balls emerging from low-growing groundcovers like Geranium ‘Rozanne’. The contrast adds both energy and refinement.
Best for Autumn Colour Shrubs
Inject fiery tones into your autumn garden with these vibrant foliage changes:
Nandina Blush Pink– Pinkish-red leaves in autumn and winter.
Physocarpus Little Devil Magic Ball – Rich burgundy tones and great structure.
Spiraea Goldflame – Striking orange-red foliage in autumn, golden-yellow in spring.
Planting Tip: Mix with grasses and perennials like Heuchera for a dynamic fall display.
Spring Flowers and Fragrant Shrubs
These spring-flowering shrubs offer beauty and scent to wake your garden from winter:
Escallonia Pink Elle (PBR) – Compact with pale pink, fragrant blooms.
Abelia Magic Daydream (PBR) – A lovely choice for soft spring colours.
Choisya Ternata Sundance – Scented white flowers and citrus-scented foliage.
Skimmia Japonica Finchy (PBR) – Fragrant spring blooms and tidy habit.
Planting Tip: Underplant with spring bulbs like Muscari and Tulips for a layered effect.
Winter Berries and Colourful Shrubs
Keep your garden lively through the coldest months:
Skimmia japonica Rubella Perosa (PBR) – Red winter buds and evergreen foliage.
Sambucus Golden Tower (PBR) – A dramatic vertical shrub with winter presence.
Nandina Obsessed – One of the best for winter colour and texture.
Planting Tip: Position near paths or windows so you can enjoy them even in winter.
Shrubs For Smaller Spaces and Containers
No garden? No problem. These varieties thrive in pots or small beds:
Abelia Gold Jewel (PBR) – Colourful and compact, ideal for patios.
Buddleja Butterfly Candy Little Ruby – A dwarf Buddleja perfect for pots.
Spiraea Sparkling Champagne (PBR) – Bright foliage and manageable size.
Skimmia japonica – Neat and tidy year-round colour.
Planting Tip: Use decorative pots and group with ornamental grasses or trailing ivy for impact.
Low Maintenance Shrubs
Reliable, easy-care shrubs that deliver without the fuss:
Sorbaria Sem – Fern-like foliage with a tropical feel and minimal care.
Cistus Creticus – Drought-tolerant with papery pink blooms.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus – Groundcover evergreen that smothers weeds.
Planting Tip: Combine with mulch and gravel planting for a low-water, low-maintenance space.
Border Focal Point Shrubs
Draw the eye and anchor your planting scheme with these stars:
Sambucus Black Lace – Dark, dramatic foliage with contrasting pink flowers.
Physocarpus Magic Ball – Compact, colourful and perfect as a punctuation plant.
Escallonia Showstopper (PBR) – True to its name – striking pink blooms all summer.
Planting Tip: Use as a backdrop to perennial planting or as a feature at the end of a path.
Screening and Hedging Shrubs
Need privacy or structure? These are the top picks:
Pittosporum Bannow Bay– Soft, silvery-green leaves and fast growth.
Ceanothus Concha– Densely branched with deep blue flowers.
Ligustrum Sunshine – Non-flowering, evergreen, and easily clipped.
Lophomyrtus Magic Dragon – Colourful and dense enough to screen effectively.
Planting Tip: Plant in staggered rows or zig-zag formation for quicker cover and a natural look.
If you need a little more advice on growing shrubs, you might find this guide by the RHS of interest. You might also like another of our blogs, The Beauty and Benefits of Shrubs in Your Garden.
