z5 covers just about half the US ... and varies wildly beyond min winter temps ...

we need to know where you are ....

ken

Southeast WI. First shrub is going to Washington county. Second suggestion is for Milwaukee county. We're closer to Lake Michigan and are a 5b but then we'll occasionally get whomped by a winter like last year.

Duetzia might be a good option. Our soil leans a bit more alkaline in this part of the state (I think). You don't see many rhodies and my mother in law went half crazy trying to grow blueberries with any success.

If you want to go for something with colorful foliage all season I would opt for new dwarf varieties like Spilled Wine Weigela, My Monet Sunset Wegeila (only 18-24" though), Tiny Wine Ninebark, Burgundy Candy Ninebark, Caramel Candy Ninebark, or for something quite nice and newer try Blue Shadow Fothergilla. Other options would be Cool Splash Diervilla or Butterfly Diervilla.

You could also choose a small-shrub-sized perennial such as Amsonia hubrichtii or some of the Baptisias. Or there are a whole bunch of small evergreens if you are interested in some late fall and early spring green (around here anything 3' high disappears in winter.) The red-twigged dogwood Garden Glow has chartreuse leaves and red winter twigs and is supposed to stay around 3' high, though I don't know if it suckers as many red-twigged dogwoods do. Daphne 'Carol Mackie' might suit your needs, though it might be a hair large than you want. Variegated foliage and prolific scented flowers in spring. It needs good drainage, however. And there are always some of the smaller shrub roses.

Of the things Select Landscapes mentioned IME Tiny Wine Ninebark will get a bit taller than 3' - while mine is still new, a friend has one that is 3 1/2' to 4' high. Great little plant, though, with nice flowers and petite dark red foliage. I don't have experience with any of the other Physocarpus that Select Landscapes mentioned. I get some twig die-back with Weigela, but still grow some. I love Fothergilla - early white scented flowers that have ornamental chartreuse buds before blooming, stunning fall foliage if grown in at least half day sun. Mine (Mt. Airy) is a bit homely in summer, but I think you could probably trim the developing seeds off shortly after bloom with just one plant. I tend to put mine in areas where I don't spend time in midsummer and plant things with bright blooms near it to distract from the seed-heads.

Fothergilla Mt. Airy just starting to bloom (it's about 10 years old and about 4 feet high)

In full bloom

In the upper part of this photo midsummer

First week of November, the last shrub to turn color in my yard.

Babs and Select Landscaping

Thanks for the great ideas. Funny you mention Amsonia hubrichtii. I just ordered one from Bluestone to try this year. I like the leaves on the Blue Shadow Fothergilla. The Daphne deserves consideration as well.

Funny you mention roses. I already have about 50. They would most definitely work but my husband thinks that the landscape needs a bit more variety. :)

Fothergilla grows very slowly (due to the alkaline soils) in SE WI so don't be turned off my their size estimates. Please note they are rabbit MAGNETS. Otherwise a great choice, ecspeically Fothergilla gardenii. Song Sparrow has Beaver Creek and Julia available.

Viburnum Spice Island or Rasberry Tart would be nice choices but they push closer to 4 to 5' after 10 to 15 years.

Right. I was just going to confirm, where you are, I'm sure soils are circum-neutral to slightly alkaline (means the same thing, haha). Lots of underlying limestone up and down eastern WI.

+oM

I love my ninebark, but I wouldn't trust size estimates. My 'Summer Wine' was supposed to be 5x5 but in six years a 2x2 plant mushroomed to 8x8. That's it on the left of the pic. Gonna hafta prune that one day.

I'd go with the fothergilla if your spot is in the back where you can protect it in winter from fur rats (rabbits) without being an eyesore. Green vinyl coated 2"x3" mesh is easy on the eyes and keeps them at bay.

tj

Tsuga great pic! Can you please tell me the name of the weeping conifer? Thanks!

Julie

Nurseries will have it as Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Green Arrow'.
tj

Thanks!