3 Fast-Growing Shrubs

Most gardeners who plant new shrubs will tell you that they have a great impatience to see them grow fast and flower well. All plants need time to settle in before creating a performance, but some do it faster than others. The shrubs listed below are a few of our favourite fast-growers.

Plumbago auriculata ‘Royal Cape’

South Africa gave the world the gift of plumbago or Cape leadwort as it is also known, and it was embraced all over as a well-loved garden plant, not shy to flower and not afraid to scramble with speed over other plants. It also suckers into the soil covering fairly large areas and will climb into trees to find some sun. A more compact form with vivid deep blue flowers called ‘Royal Cape’ was developed which stole our hearts. The foliage is mint green and the nectar-rich flowers attract birds and the common blue butterfly. ‘Royal Cape’ can tolerate cold and light frost, and if not too badly damaged, will soon sprout again in spring. It is perfect for windy, coastal gardens. Size about 1,5 x 1,5m.

Flowering time: Large clusters of phlox-like flowers peak from November to May.

Position: Full sun and semi-shade.

Water use: Regular watering until established and then able to get along with less.

Soil type: Any well-draining soil enriched with compost.

Pruning: A good prune in spring will encourage lots of flowers, and if you detect a slump, just cut it back again throughout summer to get more flowers.

Highly recommended as: Specimen plants for large pots, or to add as background shrubs in mixed borders, or as a floral, informal hedge.

Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’

If this large to medium evergreen with its dense growth habit is happy in a garden, it supplies a blast of colour throughout the year by using only its lance-shaped leaves to do it. New growth is a brilliant coppery-red slowly maturing to dark, glossy green. Because it is a fast grower, there is always new growth! The colours of the foliage intensify in winter as this is a very cold-hardy plant. It is also suitable to coastal conditions but does not like tropical climates. Size about 2,5 x 2m.

Flowering time: Dome-like, flat clusters full of pink buds opening to white in spring.

Position: Full sun.

Water use: Regular watering will keep it healthy, although short periods of dryness will not harm mature plants.

Soil type: Well-draining, rich soil.

Pruning: The more you prune after flowering in spring and throughout summer, the more new growth you will encourage and thus more fiery young leaves.

Highly recommended for: Screening, as specimen plants for large pots, or to add as background shrubs in mixed borders.

Viburnum tinus ‘Lucidum’

A vigorous and dense evergreen shrub 3 – 4m tall and wide. The fairly large, glossy leaves are dark green, and small pinkish white flowers are tightly packed into a profusion of fragrant flowerheads. This Meditteranean plant will grow equally well in all provinces and is cold- and frost-hardy.

Flowering time: From late winter to spring. Flowers are followed by blue or black berries.

Position: Full sun and light shade.

Water use: Medium, when established.

Soil type: Compost-enriched, well-draining soil.

Pruning: Responds very well to formal shaping (hedges) and quite hard cutting back if needed to control its size. No pruning needed if allowed to grow naturally as this is quite a neat shrub.

Highly recommended for: Hedging, screening or as neat specimen plants in large pots.

Noteworthy: It does not happen often, but if an old viburnum hedge starts to get dieback or looks tired, you can give it a hard prune, a good feed with Atlantic Bio Ocean fertiliser and a fresh layer of compost mulch. Look after such a hedge as it is a sad thing to have to replace it.