Those are pretty tough requirements!! Very few bushes/shrubs will bloom consistently from spring through fall. And even fewer will stay 3' or less. Possibilities include weigela Sonic Bloom or Red Prince (may both need pruning periodically to stay within height restrictions) or Knock Out roses.

I also was going to suggest Knockout Roses. They do require some pruning. but they have a long bloom period. I have weigela but they only bloom in late spring, not all summer.

Personally Im not a fan of Knockout Roses but I see them everywhere here in Zone 7a.

My neighbor has a quince, right on our property line. It sends up shoots all over and is very thorny. However, the birds love to hide inside it, safe from predators like cats and hawks. Its lovely when it blooms in spring but is done for the year already.

Drift roses stay more compact than Knockouts so less pruning and they rebloom reliably. Also look into reblooming azaleas.

Rose of sharon and spirea Japonica are invasive in the mid Atlantic.

I agree with Ceclily, the previous owner planted Rose of Sharon and it still comes up in and around my vegetable beds. It never dies. Same for honeysuckle. I've used Roundup multiple times, pulled it up, put black plastic down. It's now blooming on that fence in my backyard again.

• I know Rose of Sharon is invasive. My daughter nags me about it all the time but the gorgeous pink, lavender, and rose flowers are lovely and I am keeping mine

boxwood tree at earl may .... no red flowers but fits your other criteria

RoS may have some fans in areas where the plant selection is somewhat limited. But there is a vast population out there that dislike it intensely. It is often referred to as a "trailer trash" plant. Very late to leaf out, often invasive, garish flowers. I would never plant one in my garden, never spec RoS for any design clients and suggest they remove any existing ones.

Boxwood is nothing what the OP asked for.....don't understand the point of that suggestion at all!

@gardengal48....That's just nasty! There's NO reason to behave like THAT....I'm deleting my bush suggestions.....

Here in Central VA, the deer love knock out roses!! I lost everyone I planted because the nursery said deer didn't eat them!! Oh, well!!!

nicole, you are entitled to your opinion as I am mine. Many share your point of view and a great many share mine. No need to take it personally.

I do not care for rose of sharon — I greatly dislike its form. To me, it is a blah shrub, not worth the real estate.

Bloom from spring to fall, low maintenance? Agree with gardengal — Tall order.

I’m happy to hear you want to plant a pretty floriferous shrub. Read up some and visit some local nurseries. Take walks or drives an d see what you find attractive. Snap photos and ask questions of many other gardeners.

Eats, shoots and leaves. A useful book.

I was wondering what a bush zone is and what one is used for.

Don't know one that blooms all summer, but if you are looking for something not too big, red flowers then maybe check out azaleas. If you don't need blossoms but are happy with pretty foliage, then look at a variegated boxwood. There are some hydrangeas that will bloom for quite awhile, but they're not red.

Knockout roses will bloom all summer, but they can get larger unless trimmed and you don't mind thorns.

I'm not trying to correct you, do you mean evergreen when you say perennial? That's because you followed it up with it needs to have pretty leaves. Do you mean year long pretty leaves?

I was thinking azaleas, does the bush stay a nice green all summer?

I know the picture is not great but it is as close as I could get. Any idea's?

Azaleas will lose their leaves in colder climes...

Would azalea's cousin, rhododendron, work better in zone 5? Still pretty, especially the shiny green foliage.

GG

my response is for zone 5 ... which I happen to know quite well.