All about Garden Shrubs

Definitely a flamingo willow, thank you everyone, I wouldn't have come up with that without help

Having looked round my herbaceous borders I have too many purple flowered shrubs . Luckily I have a hydrangea which because I am on an acid soil has lovely sky blue flowers when it comes out. I planted flowering alliums in front of my purple rhododendron not realising the flowers have an identical colour and looking from my kitchen window can't be distinguished. I will move them next year.
Every year I move plants around as I try to picture how plants would look in various positions.

All my planting combinations are accidents. What doesn't work this year I try to change next year...though a good friend of mine keep asking me when I will move a peony I have in one border. It's bright orange/red and clashes badly with some pink roses - they always flower at the same time  I've not got round to it yet!

Very pleased with my tamarisk this year.
When we moved here (over twenty years ago) the house was called Tamarisk, even though there wasn’t a tamarisk to be seen.
I bought a small shrub and planted it in the front garden.
It has done ok, but this year it is smashing.

   

A Variegated Weigela that always brightens my day when its in flower.

I've noticed a few of those tamarisk bushes this year....they must love a cold Spring?

My pal who, although has a garden, is no gardener, has dug out the roots of something quite big and now has a big hole. She asked me what to plant in it. She wants a 'tree' but not a fruit tree or anything that grows to 30ft. I suspect she means a large shrub. She wants something with some interest. She does a lot of pruning and cutting back . She's on alkaline or chalky soil. I've not had a proper look at the position but weather permitting I will do next Tuesday. She already has a lilac. I've suggested the shrubs from this thread, Black Sambuca and Physocarpus and will suggest Tamarisk. Any other bright ideas?

How about a red hawthorn tree? Beautiful in flower, beautiful hips in autumn, great for the native wildlife, doesn't grow tall, tough as anything. I was thinking of getting "Paul's Scarlet" myself, as it happens.

Two more I was thinking about: an Amelanchier tree, another nice small one with lots of seasonal interest.

Also the winter flowering cherry tree Prunus subhirtella autumnalis. I have planted this in other gardens, it has very welcome pale pink flowers on bare branches from late autumn through to spring, whenever there's a few mild days in a row. Plant it somewhere where you walk past it every day. Pretty boring in the summer, mind.

How about a red hawthorn tree? Beautiful in flower, beautiful hips in autumn, great for the native wildlife, doesn't grow tall, tough as anything. I was thinking of getting "Paul's Scarlet" myself, as it happens.

Two more I was thinking about: an Amelanchier tree, another nice small one with lots of seasonal interest.

Also the winter flowering cherry tree Prunus subhirtella autumnalis. I have planted this in other gardens, it has very welcome pale pink flowers on bare branches from late autumn through to spring, whenever there's a few mild days in a row. Plant it somewhere where you walk past it every day. Pretty boring in the summer, mind.

Second the amelanchier. We have one in a cramped back garden (in a pot at the moment) and it's a lovely tree with lots of interest that isn't imposing on the space.

Does the Red hawthorn have thorns, Martin? I have the ordinary one and its a vicious beast.
How about a Japanese maple or a Liquidambar? Prune the top off it to keep the height down.

PS no thorns or poisons please, my pal minds her granddaughter regularly so has to be mindful of little one grasping or eating the bits and bobs