Star Roses and Plants’ new Hydrangea arborescens series American Lace features sturdier stems with more flowers. The series includes three colors: a white, a light pink (pictured), and a dark pink.
Photo: Star Roses and Plants
The effort to stay on top of the trend direction and offer what consumers seek is never-ending. To get a peek at where things are heading with shrubs, we talked to experts from Star Roses and Plants, Spring Meadow Nursery, Plant Development Services, and Bailey Nurseries to see what they’re thinking and planning for shrubs in the next few years. Here’s what they had to tell us.
Make It Smaller
Smaller versions of well-known shrubs are a hot commodity now. Think of dwarf hydrangeas, more compact Cercis canadensis, and even new small, blight-resistant boxwoods.
“In terms of plant sizes, I think consumers still tend to find small plants really adaptable for a variety of landscape sizes. I think there’s an appeal to something small. We see consumer searches increasing for super-cute plants,” says Corrina Murray, Director of Marketing at Plant Development Services.
A compact, mature size that stays manageable without a lot of effort and little to no pruning is the key. Consumers who purchased a large shrub several years ago to plant under the window now deal with the consequences and are making more enlightened decisions when choosing new shrubs for their yards.
“People are always looking for plants that stay small,” says Natalie Carmolli, Media and Public Relations Specialist at Spring Meadow Nursery. “I think across the board, what growers are trying to do is create versions of their best-selling plants that are more compact, that are dwarf. They’re easy to grow in a container, tuck into an established garden, and an easier choice for small, urban lots.”
“We’ve heard for years that home gardeners want smaller plants for smaller plots of land. We’re still seeing that this is true, but the COVID-19 pandemic also reminded homeowners that they need privacy. So, we’ve retained our focus on hedge-size plants that provide some extra interest: evergreen color, flowering shrubs, and great seasonal interest,” says Ryan McEnaney, Marketing and Communications Manager at Bailey Nurseries.
Is it Edible?
If you’re going to plant shrubs, why not get some dual use from them? With limited space, consumers are interested in getting more function out of their chosen plants. Colorful foliage and a snack? Why not?
“I think what we’re seeing a lot right now from consumers and nurseries is the emergence of edible plants that are also ornamental,” says Carmolli.
From new hybrid blueberries to thornless blackberry bushes, which are in demand for their fruit, shrub appeal, and use as a filler in cut flower bouquets, consumers are excited about shrubs that can provide something extra, a little home-grown produce.
Spring Meadow Nursery’s ‘Fairy Trail Fresco’ hydrangea hybrid, with long, cascading branches and bunches of flowers at every leaf node, will be new for wholesale growers next year. Photo: Spring Meadow Nursery
A Renewed Demand for Privacy
Every expert we spoke with talked about living hedges and green fences. Whether tall and traditional or medium height, for creating outdoor rooms by visual separation or even as potted plants, people want the visual effect of separation and screening.
“Wherever I go to share information about Proven Winners shrubs, people are interested in learning more about green hedges or green fencing,” says Carmolli.
When making the best use of small spaces, the increasing interest in columnar or narrow plants, especially for evergreens, makes good sense. Think of a pair of columnar hollies in large-wheeled planters providing a screen at the edge of a patio. People want to spend time in their yards but are looking to create a little privacy and peace even when living in communities with small lot sizes. Tall but narrow evergreens fit the bill for creating a living, green hedge or privacy fence that’s more attractive than traditional fencing and adds to instead of subtracting from the space.
“I continue to get tons of requests for columnar evergreens. People are realizing narrow plants also fit in their small garden,” says Kristen Pullen, Woody Ornamental Portfolio Manager at Star Roses and Plants. “We still see a really big demand for hedging.”
“One of the trends that’s popular again this year, but we’ve seen for several years, is living hedges. I think this trend is neat because it’s pretty versatile. People are planting shrubs into containers on wheels that can be moved around to create a living space,” Murray explains.
Rugged for a Changing Climate
Folks want plants that will thrive without a lot of fuss and care. The heat waves, cold snaps, and drought conditions we’ve seen in the past few years are not lost on consumers. Who wants to buy an expensive shrub to watch it shrivel and die next year in a month-long dry spell or sudden arctic blast?
“We still get requests for drought-tolerant plants, but also other climate extremes. The West experienced a lot of drought, but then the Northeast got drought as well, and that’s a completely different plant mix,” says Pullen. “We’re seeing more and more requests for drought-tolerant plants that can handle the chill.”
Living hedges such as this Azelea ‘Autum Sundance’ and ‘Autumn Ivory’ offer versatility for homeowners. Photo: Encore Azalea
More Bright Colors
Some ideas are here to stay, and using more native plants in the landscape is one of them. However, consumers are embracing the different colors, better growth form, and bloom power that nativars (native cultivars) bring to the game. “People want the color all season long, but it doesn’t have to be green,” Pullen says.
“We still find that people are excited about really bright foliage colors. Electric hues from lime green to electric yellow and even hot pink. Just shockingly bright colors,” says Murray.
We Always Fear the Deer
Regarding homeowner problems, deer damage is always near the top of the list. “People always, always want to know, what’s deer proof? We’ve taken the shrubs in our collection identified by Rutgers University as being rarely damaged by deer, and we’re offering them in a container with a deer-proof logo on it. It makes it easy for the consumer at the garden center. They say signs are your silent salespeople, and these containers help sell the deer-resistant features of the shrub,” explains Carmolli.
“If it’s native, deer resistant, and has improved disease resistance, it checks all the consumer boxes, and it’s problem-solving for the grower too,” says Pullen.
Hydrangeas and More Hydrangeas
If there was a consistent theme when asked about new varieties breeders are excited about, almost everyone mentioned a new hydrangea — compact ones, flop-proof ones, and ones with more flower power.
“We have a new Hydrangea arborescens series called American Lace. For growers, they’re problem-solving because they have sturdier stems with more flowers, they’re not going to flop, and they’re not going to need to spray for leaf spots. There are also three colors, a white, a light pink, and a dark pink in the series,” says Pullen.
“After eight years of breeding and trialing work, we are incredibly excited to introduce ‘FlowerFull’ Smooth Hydrangea in Spring 2025,” McEnaney tells us. “It’s a significant advancement in the crowded Hydrangea arborescens category. It flowers the first year in the pot, repeats blooms through the summer, retains clean foliage late in the season, and retains a strong structure in the pot and at shipping.”
“We’re expanding on our new line of hydrangeas called the Fairy Trail series. It’s a big leaf hydrangea hybrid, with long, cascading branches, and bunches of flowers at every leaf node. Last year we introduced ‘Fairy Trail White’ and ‘Fairy Trail Green’. For 2026, so it’ll be new to wholesale growers next year, will be ‘Fairy Trail Fresco’, another addition to the series which has a light blue bloom,” says Carmolli.
