Walking around our garden today I noticed that our Rhododendron shrub is just beginning to bud, so that should give a nice display in a few weeks time, so add that to the camellia for a couple of evergreen shrubs with very low maintenance needed other than a little pruning every few years.Camellia come in all sorts of colours - and sizes depending on how much you want to spendRhodos also have a variety of flowers to choose from. Both pictures taken in the Spring, this camellia flowers for 4 or 5 months - truly a good value plant.
The only problem with Camellias and Rhodies, GD - is that they get big, especially if the conditions are right. It could be a bridge too far in a small garden, and it means you have to keep pruning them back to keep them suitable. There are dwarf Azaleas which might fit the bill, but all these shrubs flower in spring in the UK, so a bit late for the OP.
Saxifrages are ideal, as are the alpine phloxes, but again, most of them are spring flowering as far as I'm aware. I have several, as well as Arabis and Aubretia but they don't flower here until early spring at best. Are you in the UK Marlorena?
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for all your comments and thoughts unfortunately my front garden is very small and open planned design. It is already full with spring and summer flowers shrubs and bulbs which all bloom during the spring and summer. I have loads of comments on how the garden looks when it is in full bloom. No room for shrubs large or small I like the look of the Saxifrage but I thought that flowers in the spring usually. I will go to the local garden center and seek advice and think about it.
Yes, I'm in East Anglia.. whilst these Saxifrages do look best in Spring I find they start flowering much earlier, often from mid December... the same with Candytuft [Iberis sempervirens].. this is usually flowering from late December here, or mid Jan latest.. but looks best in April...
I have an Oxslip that's decided to start flowering right now too... plants have their main season we associate them with but can start up much earlier I find.. I'm sure others must see this too..?...
Here's a wonderful little plant that really should be in every garden... yet you will find on this link and everywhere else, that it says flowering from June to September... this does the plant a total injustice because it actually blooms virtually all year.. mine is flowering well right now, and it will through the winter too... even during beast of the east last winter.. it's hardy to -12C... really, it's an exceptional plant... I hope other members here have it.. there is a blue version called 'Porlock', but that isn't quite as good in my opinion..
I used to have a couple of Parahebes in a previous garden Marlorena. Pretty little plants. I thought of getting one or two for here, but they're generally pastel shades which I don't grow now. The white one would be good but I don't have room in the right spot for it! I'm not sure why they aren't more widely grown - every bit as useful as the other alpine type plants I mentioned. I know what you mean about plants flowering out of season. I have a little Dianthus which still has flowers, while the others are well finished. That was unusual for it though - might be down to the drier, hotter season we had. My Saxifrages have never flowered at this time of year, so it may be down to local conditions and climate. Native primulas however, can flower virtually all year round here
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Admittedly our camellias are large - they have the room to spread, but I have seen some grown successfully in pots, or in smaller areas - I think Coppersend has the right idea - ask at your local garden centre, then study the labels or google the plants suggested for more information before purchasing from GC.
I bought a parahebe for the first time last year and think it's a great little plant. Still flowering now (a white one) but may look for more next year. I don't know why I didn't know of it before, perhaps it's a fairly recent introduction. Going back to the original poster, I think yellow primulas would be the best bet.
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My garden is 2 acres ... so I'm more than happy for her to go for it
Can't stand that Houttounia ... and there aren't many plants I actively dislike .. it just looks like it was designed by a committee.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
There are dwarf Azaleas which might fit the bill, but all these shrubs flower in spring in the UK, so a bit late for the OP.
Saxifrages are ideal, as are the alpine phloxes, but again, most of them are spring flowering as far as I'm aware. I have several, as well as Arabis and Aubretia but they don't flower here until early spring at best. Are you in the UK Marlorena?
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
unfortunately my front garden is very small and open planned design.
It is already full with spring and summer flowers shrubs and bulbs which all
bloom during the spring and summer.
I have loads of comments on how the garden looks when it is in full bloom.
No room for shrubs large or small
I like the look of the Saxifrage but I thought that flowers in the spring usually.
I will go to the local garden center and seek advice and think about it.
Thank you once again for all your comments
Yes, I'm in East Anglia.. whilst these Saxifrages do look best in Spring I find they start flowering much earlier, often from mid December... the same with Candytuft [Iberis sempervirens].. this is usually flowering from late December here, or mid Jan latest.. but looks best in April...
I have an Oxslip that's decided to start flowering right now too... plants have their main season we associate them with but can start up much earlier I find.. I'm sure others must see this too..?...
Here's a wonderful little plant that really should be in every garden... yet you will find on this link and everywhere else, that it says flowering from June to September... this does the plant a total injustice because it actually blooms virtually all year.. mine is flowering well right now, and it will through the winter too... even during beast of the east last winter.. it's hardy to -12C... really, it's an exceptional plant... I hope other members here have it.. there is a blue version called 'Porlock', but that isn't quite as good in my opinion..
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/parahebe-catarractae-avalanche/
I thought of getting one or two for here, but they're generally pastel shades which I don't grow now. The white one would be good but I don't have room in the right spot for it! I'm not sure why they aren't more widely grown - every bit as useful as the other alpine type plants I mentioned.
I know what you mean about plants flowering out of season. I have a little Dianthus which still has flowers, while the others are well finished. That was unusual for it though - might be down to the drier, hotter season we had.
My Saxifrages have never flowered at this time of year, so it may be down to local conditions and climate. Native primulas however, can flower virtually all year round here
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Going back to the original poster, I think yellow primulas would be the best bet.