May bush for May — Elegant, floriferous and wildlife proof.
If you’re after a shrub that carries its weight in the garden, it’s hard to go past spireas. Elegant and easy-going, most spiraeas form neat, rounded shrubs ranging from around 60cm up to 1.5m, depending on the variety. Hardy and adaptable, they’ll tolerate a wide range of soils and conditions, and are generally left alone by rabbits and our native wildlife. Use it to edge a path, fill gaps in mixed borders, or create a neat, low hedge.
Spirea thrives in full sun and adapts to most well-drained soils, making it a reliable choice for low-maintenance planting. Once established, it’s reasonably drought tolerant and responds well to a light prune to keep it tidy and encourage repeat flowering.
Our favourite pick of the bunch is the classic and timeless May bush or Spiraea cantoniensis. In Tasmania, it usually flowers from September to October when its arching branches are smothered in small, double white flowers, creating a soft, cascading effect that can almost hide the foliage beneath. It’s a brief but memorable moment.
KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
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Light: Full sun to part shade |
Water: Drought hardy |
Cold tolerance: Frost hardy |
Suitable for: Mixed gardens, cottage gardens, informal hedge.
