Michael Perry's top 5 shrub recommendations

Different coloured buddleja bushes

Grow colourful buddlejas as a magnet for attracting butterflies
Image: Buddleja 'Butterfly Candy' Collection from Thompson & Morgan (©Plantipp / Visions BV, Netherlands)

If you don’t have lots of spare time for gardening, why not turn to shrubs? They act like the main character in a border, with perennials and bulbs forming the supporting cast. Delivering beauty, structure, and year after year colour, it won't take you long to see a return on your investment! Here, our horticultural expert, Michael Perry, shares five of his favourite shrubs for low-maintenance gardens. 

Browse our full range of shrubs for more inspiration. 

1. Tree Peony 'Hohki'

Closeup of red tree peony flower

Image: Tree Peony 'Hohki' from Thompson & Morgan

One of gardening's best-kept secrets, tree peonies are extra special border plants, which - many years ago - exchanged hands for hundreds of pounds a piece! The plants are statuesque and littered with silky, flamboyant blooms each spring, benefiting from a distinct fragrance, even better than a rose. Tree Peony ‘Hohki’ has stunning ruby-red flowers that will bring welcome colour to your garden for the next 30 years or more.

2. Buddleja 'Buzz® Magenta'

Closeup of purple buddleja flower in pot

Image: Buddleja 'Buzz® Magenta' from Thompson & Morgan

The buddleja for everyone. Forget unruly, sprawling specimens that grow on wasteland. Reaching only 3-4 feet tall, Buddleja ‘Buzz' is ideal for patio containers or the middle of borders, where it will stay compact and smothered in butterfly-magnet blooms. Available in a range of colours from cool ivory to sky blue, the ‘Buzz’ range originated from T&M’s own breeding programme. Watch our video on how to prune Buddleja 'Buzz®' here. 

3. Gardenia 'Crown Jewels'

Two white gardenia flowers

Image: Gardenia 'Crown Jewels' from Thompson & Morgan

Indoors, outdoors... This new exotic-looking gardenia is a bit of a revolution! From recent breeding, this is the first, fully double-flowered hardy gardenia that can be grown outdoors. Smothered in flowers from July to September and evergreen through the winter, the intoxicating fragrance is like a super strong jasmine! It does require a slightly acid soil, but it's easy to dig in some ericaceous compost when planting.

4. Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance'

Closeup of white daphne flower

Image: Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' from Thompson & Morgan

Don't forget that some smaller shrubs can be grown in patio containers too. Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' is a unique variety, with heavily perfumed flowers that last for six months. Often said to be the most powerfully-fragranced shrub available, try it for yourself. Daphne dislikes disturbance, so choose your spot carefully! Better still, plant it in a container near a door to enjoy the scent every time you pass.

5. Erica 'Darley Dale'

Closeup of pink heather flowers

Image: Erica 'Darley Dale' from Thompson & Morgan

No longer a dull border plant, 'Darley Dale' is a ground cover heather with a difference. It not only has pretty pink blooms, but it can also be grown on almost any soil and doesn't need acid conditions like many heathers in the past. It'll be one of the first things to flower in the late winter too, and with its pollinator-friendly blooms, it won't be hiding under a bushel!

Looking for more ideas on low-maintenance shrubs to try in your garden? Find everything you need to know about shrubs over at our dedicated hub page.

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