One of the best summer-flowering shrubs for shade areas, multiple award-winner Aesculus parviflora (Bottlebrush Buckeye) is prized for its spectacular blooms of erect white flower panicles with red anthers and pinkish filaments. Blooming for weeks from early to mid-summer, the flowers are a real delight to hummingbirds and butterflies. They are held above the nicely contrasting foliage of palmate leaves which open bronze, and mature dark green before turning attractive shades of yellow in fall. The flowers are followed by tan-brown, pear-shaped fruits, 1-2 in. in length (2-5 cm) which are inedible and provide a little ornamental contribution to the plant. Winter hardy, this beautiful suckering, deciduous shrub is native to the rich woodland areas in Alabama, Georgia, and northern Florida.

Extremely winter hardy, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) is a slow-growing, creeping, evergreen shrub with trailing red stems studded with small, leathery, glossy, obovate, dark green leaves, up to 1 in. long (2.5 cm). The foliage turns red or purple in winter before becoming green again in spring. Pretty clusters of lantern-shaped, white-to-pink flowers hang gracefully from the short red stems in mid to late spring. They last several weeks and are followed by edible, smooth, and glossy berries which ripen to bright red in the fall.

Fast-growing and cold hardy, award-winning Buddleja alternifolia (Butterfly Bush) is a gorgeous, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub that can be trained as a small weeping tree. It features gracefully arching branches, studded with lance-shaped, gray-green leaves and sweetly scented clusters of lilac-purple flowers. Borne in the leaf axils along the previous year's stems, the long flower spikes, up to 18 in. (45 cm), drape over the bush in late spring or early summer. A superb, easily-grown plant that is favored by butterflies.

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Kinshiden' (Japanese Quince) is a spreading, deciduous shrub with abundant clusters of double, pale lemony-white flowers. Borne on thorny, tangled branches, they bloom in profusion for 4-6 weeks in early spring and give way to small, aromatic, greenish yellow fruits, 2 in. across (5 cm), which ripen in early fall.

Chaenomeles speciosa 'Moerloosei' (Japanese Quince) is a spreading medium-sized deciduous shrub with abundant clusters of apple blossom pink and white blooms, up to 1.5 in. across (3-4 cm). Borne on thorny, tangled branches before the glossy, dark green leaves appear, they bloom in profusion for a few weeks in early spring and give way to small, fragrant, apple-shaped, greenish-yellow fruits, 2 in. across (5 cm), which ripen in early fall. This shrub has a strong, upright habit and is a good choice for wall training.

Highly desirable, Chaenomeles speciosa 'Nivalis' (Japanese Quince) is a spreading, deciduous shrub with abundant clusters of pure white flowers, up to 1.5 in. across (3-4 cm). Borne on thorny, tangled branches, they bloom in profusion for a few weeks in early spring and give way to small, fragrant, greenish yellow fruits, 2 in. across (5 cm), which ripen in early fall. This ornamental quince is one of the earliest to flower.

Cotinus coggygria is noted for its attractive foliage and large, airy flower plumes that extend into yellowish-pink to pinkish-purple in spring and which cover the plant with fluffy, hazy 'smoky' puffs throughout summer. Smoketree is an upright and open, multiple-branching, deciduous shrub with beautiful round leaves, that is native to Southern Europe and central China. Depending on the varieties, the foliage color ranges from various shades of green to rich purple. Small and insignificant, the flowers are borne in clusters (panicles) whose hairs, pink or purple, give an effect of fluffy clouds.

A great harbinger of spring, Forsythia 'Happy Centennial' is a compact, spreading, deciduous shrub with a profusion of bright-yellow, four-petaled flowers which appear before the leaves in early to mid-spring. The foliage of leathery, ovate, dark green leaves remains attractive throughout the growing season. Developed in Canada at the Ottawa Experiment Station, this Forsythia cultivar is recognized for its extreme flower bud hardiness (to approximately -30°F or -34°C). It will bloom heavily after even severe winters when many other Forsythia cultivars would not. Its low and horizontal branching makes it a very graceful shrub. Ideal for small gardens.

Noted for its fantastic fall attributes, Hamamelis virginiana (Virginian Witch Hazel) is an erect large, deciduous shrub or small tree, with sweetly-scented, pale yellow flowers in fall and early winter. Each flower consists of 4 golden ribbon-like, slightly-twisted, crinkled petals. Clustered along the arching branches, the flowers emerge when you least expect them and may linger on the branches into December. This Witch Hazel sports smooth, broadly oval leaves, which open light green before turning dark green. They turn brilliant golden yellow shades in the fall. Smooth gray bark, handsome architecture, colorful fall foliage, and floral splendor make Hamamelis virginiana a great addition to the landscape. Virginian Witch Hazel is the species from which medicinal witch-hazel extract is made.

Compact and easy to grow, Hypericum kalmianum (Kalm St. John's Wort) is a small semi-evergreen shrub with showy, golden yellow flowers blooming for about 6 weeks in mid to late summer. They are borne in flat clusters of 3-7 flowers, at the tips of upright branching stems. Each cup-shaped flower presents 5 petals surrounding a prominent tuft of golden stamens. Rich in nectar, they are a favorite of butterflies, bumblebees, or other pollinators and are excellent for cutting. The foliage of linear dark blue-green leaves provides a lovely backdrop for the bright golden blossoms.

Noted for its green winter stems and yellow spring flowers, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' (Japanese Kerria) is a vigorous suckering deciduous shrub of great beauty. In spring, it gets covered with bright yellow, pom-pom-like flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm). Borne on slender, arching stems, the blossoms resemble small roses. The foliage of prominently veined, narrow, light green leaves unfolds in the spring. It turns yellow in the fall, before falling to the ground, revealing attractive, bright green, winter stems. Highly popular, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' is a tough, but graceful flowering shrub that is pleasant in every season.

Regarded as one of the most fragrant of all Mock Oranges, Philadelphus 'Avalanche' is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub of great beauty when in bloom. In late spring to early summer, its pleasantly arching branches bear clusters of cup-shaped, 4-petaled, white flowers, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), at their tips. The blossoms stand out against the foliage of oval, dark green leaves. Introduced in 1896, 'Avalanche' is a lovely flowering shrub that deserves a spot where its fragrance can be enjoyed.

A vibrant player in the landscape for the length of the growing season, award-winning Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo' is a stunning purple-leaved ninebark cultivar with an exquisite fountain shape and incredibly decorative exfoliating bark. Profuse creamy-white flowers, delicately pink-tinged, appear in dense, rounded clusters in late spring before they give way to drooping clusters of red fruit in fall. They contrast beautifully with the interesting maple-like foliage of deep purple, rounded, lobed leaves which may fade to green in hot summer climates or partial shade. Hidden by the foliage during the growing season, the bark is revealed in all its splendor later in the season, peeling in multiple strips to display layers of reddish to light brown inner bark, providing winter interest.

Extremely winter hardy, Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant) is a compact, mound-forming, deciduous shrub with bright green, trilobed leaves in spring. Emerging early, the foliage changes to dark green in summer with an attractive gloss on the leaf uppersides, before turning yellow in the fall. The flowers are greenish-yellow but ornamentally insignificant. This plant is dioecious (separate male and female plants). Scarlet juicy berries appear in midsummer on female plants. Perfect for formal or informal hedges since the foliage covers the plant all the way to the ground. It responds well to heavy pruning or shearing.

Noted for its very ornamental, pure white, waxy berries, Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry) is a thicket-forming, deciduous shrub with upright to arching branches that is amazingly adaptable and undemanding. In early summer, a profusion of small, bell-shaped, white to pink flowers are borne in clusters in the leaf axils. Inconspicuous, they are of great interest to butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators. The flowers are followed by abundant and attractive clusters of brilliant snow-white berries that persist well into winter. The dense foliage of elliptic to rounded, blue-green leaves remains attractive from spring to frost but provides little fall color.

Highly popular, award-winning Syringa vulgaris 'Sensation' (Lilac) is an upright, deciduous shrub noted for its unusual bicolor flowers. Sweetly scented, they form large, pyramidal panicles of purplish red florets adorned with white edges. Blooming in late spring, the blossoms are so profuse that they literally cover the plant. The erect, open branches are clothed in rich green, heart-shaped leaves that remain attractive in summer.

Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) is an American beauty that puts on a long-lasting show in the landscape. In spring, it features attractive clusters of small, waxy, white, pink-tinged, bell-shaped flowers. They are followed by abundant, juicy, and edible blue berries in summer - a delight for birds, wildlife, and humans alike! Its glossy, lustrous foliage turns from reddish-green in spring to bluish-green in summer and to spectacular shades of bronze, scarlet and crimson in fall. Even winter provides charming interest with the yellow-green to reddish twiggy branches forming a lovely silhouette.

Viburnum lentago (Nannyberry) is a large, suckering, deciduous shrub or single- or multi-stemmed small tree noted for its eye-catching flower clusters, shiny foliage, fall color, and fruit display. In spring, masses of flat-topped creamy-white flower clusters emerge from large vase-shaped buds and are elegantly held above the foliage. The blooms give way to pendulous clusters of bluish-black berries with bright red stalks in fall. Showy when viewed up-close or from a short distance, they often persist into winter and are quite attractive to birds and wildlife. Tasty, the fruits can be eaten fresh from the shrub or used to make jams and preserves. The handsome foliage of ovate, finely toothed, glossy dark green leaves turns attractive shades of yellow, red, and purple in fall.

Adding fresh, long-lasting color to the summer garden, Vitex agnus-castus 'Shoal Creek' (Chaste Tree) is a deciduous, vase-shaped shrub noted for its long blooming season and disease-resistant foliage. Growing with a dense, upright habit, it features sage-scented, grayish-green palmate (hand-shaped) leaves with five to seven leaflets and silvery undersides that flicker in the wind and produce a lovely effect. Highly ornamental, spectacular sprays, 12 in. long (30 cm), of small, fragrant, vibrant blue-violet flowers appear from summer to fall, attracting scores of butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Fast-growing and low maintenance, 'Shoal Creek' develops a naturally well-balanced shape and doesn't require pruning. A wonderful addition to summer landscape color without the work involved with bedding plants!