May is a pivotal month in the garden. Shrubs burst into bloom, adding structure, fragrance, and vibrant colour to outdoor spaces. Here’s a selection of standout shrubs that thrive in May, offering both aesthetic appeal and ecological benefits.
Ceanothus offers vibrant blue flowers in May, providing a valuable nectar source for pollinators. This evergreen shrub prefers a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil. Its dense growth habit makes it ideal for hedging or wall training
Flowers: May – June (depending on variety, varieties such as ‘Puget Blue’ start flowering in April, and others flower for longer than June)
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 3m (depending on variety)
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L, 20L + (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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A compact shrub with silver foliage and silky white flowers, perfect for hot, dry borders. Its neat dome shape suits pots and gravel gardens.
Flowers: May – July
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 0.6m
Soil: Poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L (subject to availability)
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Also known as flowering quince, these spiny shrubs flower from early spring into May with vibrant blooms on bare stems. Great against walls or as informal hedges.
Flowers: March – May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2.5m
Soil: Moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 3LD, 5L (subject to availability)
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Evergreen shrubs with glossy foliage and fragrant white star-shaped flowers in May (with a second flush possible later). Loved for structure and scent.
Flowers: May (often have a second flush in summer)
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2.5m
Soil: Moderately fertile,well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (subject to availability)
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Valued for flowers in spring and coloured stems in winter, Cornus is a reliable shrub for all-year interest.
Flowers: May – June
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2.5m
Soil: Any moderately fertile soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (subject to availability)
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Compact, bushy shrubs that produce clouds of small, pink or white flowers in late spring. Great for mixed borders.
Flowers: April – June
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Tough and reliable, these evergreen shrubs offer foliage colour and texture year-round with subtle spring flowers.
Flowers: May- June
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m (depending on the variety)
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L , 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Known as the pearl bush, this deciduous shrub dazzles with cascades of white flowers in late spring.
Flowers: April – May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2m
Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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This cheerful shrub is covered in bright yellow, pom-pom flowers in spring. Perfect for informal, wildlife-friendly spaces.
Flowers: March-May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2m
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Large, fragrant blooms on bare branches make magnolias a showpiece in spring. Best in sheltered spots with acidic soil.
Flowers: March-May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 6m
Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soil
Pot size: 3L, 5L 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Elegant evergreens with glossy leaves and sweetly scented white flowers. Ideal for structure and hedging.
Flowers: April-May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 3m
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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A floriferous, low-maintenance shrub blooming for months. Compact and colourful — ideal for small spaces or mass planting.
Flowers: May – October
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m depending on the variety
Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 7.5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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A prickly evergreen with creamy spring flowers followed by colourful berries in autumn. Excellent for wildlife and security.
Flowers: May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 3m depending on the variety
Soil: any fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 3LD, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Loved for red spring growth, bell-like white flowers, and evergreen foliage. Needs acidic soil to thrive.
Flowers: April – May
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 3m depending on the variety
Soil: any fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Showy evergreen shrubs that bloom in May with spectacular flowers in every shade. Best in acidic, humus-rich soil.
Flowers: May – June
Position: Full sun – Partial shade
Height: Up to 2.5m depending on the variety
Soil:Moist, well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil or ericaceous compost
Pot size: 3L, 5L, 7.5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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This flowering currant bursts with scented pink blooms in early spring, attracting bees and birds alike.
Flowers: April – May
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 3m depending on the variety
Soil: Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 2LD, 3L, 3LD, 5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Aromatic, evergreen, and edible! Rosemary blooms in late spring and thrives in dry, sunny spots.
Flowers: May-June
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 2m depending on the variety
Soil: well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Lilacs are classic late-spring shrubs with fragrant clusters of purple, pink, or white flowers. Stunning in full bloom.
Flowers: May-June
Position: Full sun
Height: Up to 4m depending on the variety
Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L, 12L, 20L + (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Bushy and floriferous, Weigela produces masses of tubular flowers in May that attract pollinators. Great in mixed borders.
Flowers: May-June
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 2.5m depending on the variety
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil
Pot size: 2L, 3L, 5L, 10L (depending on variety and subject to availability)
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Layering: Combine shrubs of varying heights and bloom times to create depth and continuous interest.
Companion Planting: Pair flowering shrubs with perennials and groundcovers that complement their colours and textures.
Wildlife Support: Choose shrubs that provide nectar, pollen, or shelter to support local biodiversity.
Maintenance: Regular pruning and deadheading can prolong blooming periods and maintain plant health.
Posted 17th May 11:21am
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We are delighted to announce that we are now Plant Healthy certified.
The Plant Healthy certification scheme makes it easier to identify businesses that trade and grow plants to a high plant health and biosecurity standard. It reduces the risk of introducing/spreading destructive plant pests and protecting the horticultural industry, other cultivated plants and natural habitats.
Plant Health is important to Johnsons and many other nurseries for many reasons, such as protecting our woodlands from pests and diseases such as ash-dieback and oak Processionary Moth, to safeguard native flora and fauna from non-native pests and diseases.
Healthy plants are also fundamental for the creation of beautiful gardens and landscapes and are essential for life, making the oxygen we breathe and absorbing carbon dioxide. They are also essential for the food we eat and without them, we wouldn’t be here.
Head of Production and Procurement, Jonathan Whittemore, said: “We are acutely aware of our plant Health responsibility which is why our staff are appropriately trained, and our plant health systems are robust. Our recent Plant Healthy certification, shows we are a business that trades and grows plants to a high plant health and biosecurity standard—reducing the risk of introducing or spreading destructive plant pests and protecting the horticultural industry, other cultivated plants, and natural habitats.”
Click here to view our Plant Healthy certificate.
Posted 20th May 2:30pm
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Cottage style gardens are generally designed to include informal planting where the plants fill the air with beautiful scents; arches are filled with climbing roses, and borders full to the brim with a wide array of perennials and flowering shrubs.
Want to include cottage garden plants in your next garden design project? here are some of our favourites
1.Digitalis commonly known as foxgloves have been a cottage garden favourite for years with bell-shaped flowers available in an array of colours from pink to cream they are happy in a partial shade garden and are a favourite source of pollen for bees.
Flowers: June-July
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1m
Soil: moist, humus-rich soil
Available in 2L pots.
2. No cottage garden is complete without a Lupin, a popular choice for a traditional cottage garden with tapering spires available in shades of pink, purple, yellow, red and even mixed adding height to the back of a cottage garden border.
Flowers: June-July
Position: Full sun – partial shade
Height: Up to 1.2m
Soil: fertile, well-drained, sandy soil
Available in 2L pots.
3.Roses are a great addition to a cottage garden, and in particular, climbing roses would look fantastic against a trellis, pergola or the walls of a house with some varieties adding fragrance to your garden.
Flowers: July – September
Position: Full sun
Height: Dependent on variety
Soil: fertile, well-drained, moist soil
Available in 2L pots.
4. Lavender will add fragrance and colour to your cottage garden and will draw in the pollinators. A great addition to a path, or border. Place in a sunny, well-drained position for best results.
Flowers: July – September
Position: Full sun
Height: Dependent on variety
Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
Available in 2L, 3L, 5L and 10L pots (depending on variety)
5. Geranium – A perfect plant doing well in partial shade to full sun, it’s great for underplanting or filling in any empty gaps in your border, adding beautiful purple flowers from June through to October.
Flowers: June – October
Position: Sun – Partial Shade
Height: Up to 0.6m
Soil: fertile, well-drained soil.
6.Hydrangeas are another firm favourite with varieties producing large clusters of purple, pink, blue or white flowers in early summer.
Flowers: July – August
Position: Sun – Partial Shade
Height: Depends on the variety
Soil: moist, well-drained, fertile soil
Other popular cottage garden plants include Alchemilla Mollis, Paeonia, Geranium, Phlox, Iris, Hollyhock, Dianthus, Delphinium and Heucheras. For more of our solutions click here
Posted 18th May 11:36am
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