Viburnum davidii.

Thought of that but they spread farther and stay lower than I'm wanting. Wanting more of a rounded shape. Otherwise, great idea. Might have a spot for some in addition to these other spots.

Thanks

Old Viburnum davidii will be taller than 3 feet in some positions, your concept of "farther and lower" may change if you walk or drive around and look at several plantings.

I know you said that you prefer evergreen but since you were entertaining hydrangea, perhaps a small rose would not be out of consideration, unless the leaves are still too small. I have most of the smaller shrubs you mention in my front yard and wanted to change it up a bit so I am planting a small rose (2.5' x 2.5') called Midnight Blue which has black/purple blooms.

Also, I have a number of other shrubs and/or perennials in this area which may or not fit your critia. I have lorapetalum sizzling pink and plum delight, rhaphiolepsis blueberry muffin and gulf green ( wanted to stay with the umbelatas), lonicera lemon beauty, leucothoe fontanesiana nana, daphne carol mackie, and a couple of ilex that are almost bonsai. I know some of these are probably smaller leafed than you suggested, I chose all these for the contrasts in foliage with each other and the other shrubs and trees in the front yard and figured the flowers would come along for the ride :-)

I've never had kalmias before but I'm really anxious to see them bloom. I underplanted a red maple with a couple of Little Lindas, an Elf, a Minuet, and a Tinkerbell. I also chose a Unique Marmalade rhody because it was the most perfectly shaped little thang I've ever seen and only gets 3x3.

I have shrub roses out there too, am planning on ordering Midnight Blue, have to have it!

One of the empty spots I need to fill is because I yanked out a pink India hawthorne that constantly had leaf spot fungus. Got sick of looking at it. I've ripped out Leucothoe too. Can't remember why now.

I want to stay away from burgandy foliage because I have a lot already ditto yellow, gray and variegated.

Thanks for your suggestions. I bought an azeala for one spot and may give in and buy some more. They are the right size and color and shape even if they bloom in spring. At least they bloom later than all the dwarf Rhodies. I was salivating over a Yaku Rhodie. I may have to go back for it. I forget which one it was but it had stunning foliage.

Leucothoe mildews here, maybe that's why. Otherwise, likes a cool, moist porous soil as do other heath family plants. If special soil conditions not provided may not persist or prosper.

I know what you're saying about the rhodies.....I just wish the bloom lasted longer :-( The Unique Marmalade is going to be my only one in the front yard because I opted to line a serpentine walkway that leads from the front porch to the pond with Hino Crimsons for a semi-formal hedge. I found them for $2 a piece and it would have cost me a fortune to do it in boxwoods. I think there are about 60 or so total. That's enough for any one front yard :-)

The hawthornes you had were probably indicas, I was warned about them for that leaf spot and that's why I went for the umbelatas. You might want to take a look at the blueberry muffin and the gulf green, I have them grouped together and I like the two contrasts in foliage. I think the size would work for you too.

Spellcheck: hawthorn, umbellata. Rose family shrubs for warm postions and good drainage. Good specimens can be seen here in hot sites such as commercial district parking strips and against walls. Like photinia, apt to have problems on heavy soils.

How about Mahonia aquifolium 'Compacta'? Large leaves, fragrant yellow flowers, our 12 year old plants are about 2.5' high, 3' wide. Not fussy about soil, can be cut back, much more refined than seedling Oregon Grape. Only problem is finding plants to buy.

Dwarf form Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Senecio Greyii

I will check out the Mahonia.

I have a spot for hydrangeas on the side of the house but that area isn't ready for planting. Doing a total redesign of the side yard.

Trying to fill in the front yard at the moment. Really have too much out there that is deciduous. Too many dwarf Rhodies but it is an addiction. They are just so cute and bloom so early and have no problems. Look so good with all the daffodils....

Pittosporum tobira dwarf forms. Spring bloom still, but very nice evergreen foliage, and I've seen them around Portland so they should be cold hardy enough there. They're not quite hardy enough here in Oly to be reliable.

Viburnum davidii you should give a second look to. Will definitely get to 3ft tall with time, I see some around here that are nearly 5ft tall and wide ... probably about 30 yrs old though.

Dwarf hollies, as mentioned. Burfords especially have largish leaves. Also have you considered yuccas? very different leaf form. Summer bloom. Evergreen. Low growing. And the mahonias are a good suggestion. Try looking at the nandinas too. There are dwarf forms with colored foliage.

what about a pineapple guava? (feijoa sp.)
they are VERY easy and can tolerate a wide range of conditions once established(from 5 degrees up to the 100's). the flowers are lovely, the petals are edible and the fruit is a bonus, too. they have silvery-green foliage and can be trained into almost any shape.

-ming

I love Pittosporum tobira especially 'Wheeler's Dwarf' but do not think they would be hardy in this location. I lost Escallonia and Hebe 'Autumn Glory' in the same spots. I wish they were. There is a twenty five year old one at my mother's in Phoenix that is still under 3' x 3'. Love the orange blossom fragrance too.

The location that needs shrubs is open and I live in East County close to the Gorge and get worse weather than other areas in Portland.

Viburnum davidii is much too wide for what I want. I want cute little shrubs that stay under 2-3- tall and wide. My father's are almost 6' wide and less than ten years old.

Was not a fan of Feijoa when I lived in and worked at nurseries in Phoenix, can't really tell you why but maybe I'll take a look.

Nandina is too Asian inspired for this location but I have several dwarf forms in other parts of the yard. Too colorful too (is there such a thing?)

Yucca are too spiky. I have four or five species of ornamental grasses and daylilies too in the same bed.

I know, I'm asking for something that doesn't exist.

I'll have to take a look at the hollies, I'm considering Skimmia too.

It seems to me that you already have leaves of different sizes. You're neglecting dwarf conifers. All those plants and not one conifer? Conifers are cool! Lots of sizes and colors.

Full shade for skimmia. There are plenty of options. Visit a nursery. Have you been to Cistus nursery, on Sauive Island? Something different is just about all they offer.

The dwarf conifers are in the heather/heath garden. :) I love them although find they tend to grow larger than they are supposed to. I occasionally rip one out and replace with a new one.

I have visited many nurseries. Have not been to Cistus though. Haven't been that way yet traveling for work this year.

I know Skimmia want shade. I have shade in another bed.

Plant in interlocking drifts of one kind, so only where the different kinds meet will there be a possible crowding issue developing. Individual specimens of same kind within same drift don't have to be kept apart from one another. And planting in drifts produces an appearance of movement, more conducive to a gracious effect than single specimens of each kind.

Abelia.

I too have similar requirement but my location
is sunny and does not have irrigation.
Will Barberry be suitable ?

-LG

The 'Crimson Pygmy' barberries that I have are outstanding small shrubs. Almost no watering in summer and they have nice burgandy foliage and thorns to provide a barrier. Their flowers are interesting and they don't require pruning. Mine are about 2.5' tall and 3' wide after ten years.

There also appear to be a number of nice dwarf evergreen varieties of Berberis available, though I don't recall seeing too many at local nurserys.

Hey,

Consider something like Salix purpurea 'nana' or perhaps a Sambucus of some sort might fit the bill. Or a contorted hazelnut...

Good luck!
Meag

Yesterday I found a dwarf version of ceonothus..... mature size about what you want. Since they are evergreen and small leaved, they are very attractive. Maybe it would suit you.

Thanks, I found a Hebe that had bigger leaves than most and was a nice green. Almost have all the holes plugged.

westgate, I'd be interested to know the cultivar name of that ceanothus. So far, the dwarfs I've encountered (like 'Vandenburg') are not very dwarf :-) I had to get rid of mine, as it grew twice as large as expected and totally overwhelmed the spot I had for it.

A hardy big leaf green hebe. What is the cultivar?

Hebe x franciscana 'Lobeliodes'

Cold hardy 0-10*F

Bigger than I wanted but I put it in another location where that is ok. Hebes are easy to pinch too.

I have Hebe 'Red Edge' already, out in an exposed area and they made it through the February Arctic Blast just fine.

I lost Hebe 'Autumn Glory' a few years ago though in the same location. :( Really loved that one too. If I remember correctly they are 10-20* instead of 0-10* though.

I'd like to know the Ceonanthus as well. I've ripped out one before that got too big.

I planted the shrub rose 'Midnight Blue' found myself near Edmunds Roses the other day. Now I've got to blend it into the surrounding plants since the other shrub roses I have are in another section of the yard. Had to have it though and nowhere left to put it.

Herronswood lists Ceanothus 'Vandenburg' as an impressus type to 6'. Colvos Creek Nursery lists a number of varieties which are listed as lower in height(though quite wide), including: C. gloriosus 'Emily Brown'(3'x12'), C. griseus 'Yankee Point'(24-36"x10'), C. thrysifloris 'Repens'(3'x8'). Maybe someone can confirm or deny whether these sizes from the A-Z are indeed accurate.

I'd be a bit leary of that hardiness information. Hebe x franciscana tends to be one of the more tender hybrids (cross between H. elliptica and speciosa - a DEFINITELY non-hardy cultivar). This is most often listed as a zone 9 hebe, truly flourishing in mild seaside locations or in a very protected inland location. FWIW, the rule of thumb with hebes is the larger the leaf, the more tender the selection. 'Autumn Glory' is also a x franciscana derivation (has some pimeleiodes in it as well, a very hardy species).

Well, I'm a little late jumping into this topic and this suggestion isn't really a shrub but I have had good luck with this plant until the mountain beaver did a number on them. They grow to about two feet and have great glossy leaves and are somewhat evergreen for me (normally). They get a little limp in hot sun but a good soaking perks them up! http://www.forestfarm.com/search/closeup.asp?PlantID=litu527n

Carp! I didn't want to read that the hardiness info on the tag is incorrect! I didn't look it up before buying. My Bad. :( It was grown in Corvallis OR not Southern CA, thought I could trust the tag. I know better too. sheesh.

bamboomary, I got an error message. Not sure what plant you are referring to.

Sorry, don't know what happened to the link. The plant is
Farfugium japonicum 'Aureo-maculatum'. Forest Farm has a nice photo if you can do a search of their site.
Here is a picture of it in my garden if my optional link below doesn't work..... sorry, I'm not too up to speed on all of this linking stuff!
http://public.fotki.com/BambooMary/my_green_house/the_greenhouse_/garden_new_pics_065.html

Here is a link that might be useful: http://public.fotki.com/BambooMary/my_green_house/the_greenhouse_/garden_new_pics_065.html

Thanks, that sure is nice leafy foliage isn't it? I watched your slide show. Nice. I want a greenhouse so badly. Our lot is just too small.

Don't make too much of nursery tags. Plants vary with site conditions, sometimes quite widely. Subalpine fir, to take a dramatic example can be a 100 foot spire or a creeping groundcover. And a sign in a garden center may have been hurriedly composed by somebody back in the office using a purchased software with a premade plant encyclopedia or looking in a book or catalog and filling in the blanks with that--whether it is very accurate or not.

Here is a link that might be useful: Myth of Uniform Plant Performance

Daphne caucasius or transylvanicus (sp) Summer Ice blooms continually all the way to frost, has variegated leaves, stays more dwarf than D. odora. D. Lawrence Crocker has purple flowers.

My variegated Abelia has stayed much smaller than the normal Abelia. I hope your Caryopteris performs for you, I lost all three I planted over winter.

Nancy

My caryopteris are all leafing out. They are all at least five years old. They are very exposed to the wind. I'm sorry you lost yours. I am very fond of mine but three is all I have room for. I've got Dark Knight, Worchester Gold and one whose cultivar escapes me at the moment.

I'll have to look for those Daphnes. My DH is very sensitive to smells but Daphne smells good to him. Many other flowers don't even if I think they are wonderful.

I certainly am aware that plants perform differently in different locations. Hebes are fairly new to me so I had nowhere else to start but with the tags since I don't have internet capability unless I am home. Gotta get one of those phones with a browser so I can Google plants from the nursery. I planted the Hebe of questionable hardiness against a south facing wood fence so maybe that will help.