Shrubs make the garden a cozy, sheltered oasis—here are 10 of Finns’ favorite varieties!
Shrubs can be blooming, lush, short, or tall. Would your yard be better with a lush hedge or a beautifully blooming slope? Choose shrubs from these lovely options that suit your yard’s conditions and needs.
Garden shrubs—choose the right ones for your yard:
Skunk currant
Skunk currant (Ribes glandulosum) is a great choice as a groundcover or for slopes. Short yet lush, it quickly covers its space with long shoots that take root. It’s healthy and doesn’t need regular pruning. In a sunny spot, its fall foliage glows bright orange or red. It thrives in both sunny and shaded areas, in fresh or moist soil. Extremely winter-hardy.
Height: 30–40 cm
Blooming season: May–June
Hardiness zones: I–VII (VIII)
Wild mock-orange
Wild mock-orange (Philadelphus lewisii) is a real garden beauty. This dense shrub, growing fairly tall and wide, looks lovely on its own in a prominent spot. Plant a few to screen your seating area. Wild mock-orange isn’t picky about soil type, but the soil should hold moisture and be nutrient-rich. For abundant blooms, plant it in the sunniest spot possible.
Height: 2–3 m
Blooming season: June
Hardiness zones: I–V(VI)
Rose meadowsweet
Rose meadowsweet (Spiraea densiflora) is well-suited to slopes. It tolerates dry conditions, and its strong roots keep sloped soil in place. Slope spirea isn’t fussy, but add garden soil to the planting hole. It grows in full sun or partial shade, though its pale pink blossoms are brightest with plenty of sun. Rejuvenate it as needed with a hard pruning so it continues to bloom abundantly.
Height: 50–100 cm
Blooming season: June–July
Hardiness zones: I–V
Cinnamon rose ‘Tornedal’
Cinnamon rose ‘Tornedal’ (Rosa majalis ‘Tornedal’) is a hardy shrub rose, popular especially in northern Finland. It’s a double-flowered variant of Finland’s wild forest rose. Its outer stems are thorn-free, making care easier. ‘Tornedal’ works well in small groups or as a background shrub. It thrives in dry or fresh soil, in a sunny or partially shaded spot, as long as the soil is nutrient-rich.
Height: 150 cm
Blooming season: June–July
Hardiness zones: I–VII
Common lilac
Common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are large, striking shrubs that work well as a tall hedge, a stand-alone specimen, or in groups in a spacious garden. Their fragrant purple blooms open around Midsummer, and the ‘Alba’ variety has white flowers. Common lilacs are winter-hardy across most areas, and their fall color is yellow. Plant them in fresh, fertile soil in a sunny or partially shaded spot. Remove dead or poorly blooming stems to keep them flowering robustly each year.
Height: 2–5 m
Blooming season: June–July
Hardiness zones: I–VI
Shrubby cinquefoil ‘Tervola’
The main advantage of shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa ‘Tervola’) is its exceptionally long blooming period: it can bloom from June right through October. This variety has lemon-yellow flowers and is among the tallest shrubby cinquefoils. It thrives in sunny conditions with dry or fresh, nutrient-rich soil. It’s a great choice for a small yard as a hedge, in a mixed shrub bed, or even in a container. Shrubby cinquefoils don’t tolerate road salt. Rejuvenate them by removing the oldest branches, or cut the plant back entirely if flowering starts to diminish.
Height: 150 cm
Blooming season: June–October
Hardiness zones: I–VII
Guelder rose
Guelder rose ‘Pohjan Neito’ (Viburnum opulus ‘Pohjan Neito’) is beloved for its tidy and elegant appearance. Its pure white, ball-shaped blossoms open in June and last up to four weeks. Guelder rose is a wonderful choice in a shrub grouping or as a stand-alone centerpiece. ‘Pohjan Neito’ prefers a sunny location with fresh to moist, nutrient-rich soil, making it great for clay soil.
Height: 2–4 m
Blooming season: June–July
Hardiness zones: I–VI
Marjatta rhododendron (‘Haaga’)
Marjatta rhododendron (Rhododendron Tigerstedtii-Ryhmä ‘Haaga’) is a hardy, Finnish-bred rhododendron. Its rounded shape makes it ideal for small groupings in a prime spot, and its bright pink blooms create a stunning display. Plant it in partial shade, in moist, acidic soil, and protect from spring sun with shade netting or evergreen branches.
Height: 1.5–2 m
Blooming season: June
Hardiness zones: I–V
Bell honeysuckle
Bell honeysuckle (Lonicera x bella ‘Zabelii’) is ideal for a background or screening shrub, as it grows tall and dense. It does well in fresh, fertile soil in sun or partial shade and isn’t too demanding. Its profuse red blooms and red berries are real eye-catchers. In overly dry conditions, it can be prone to mildew. Prune regularly to keep it looking its best.
Height: 2–2.5 m
Blooming season: June
Hardiness zones: I–VI
Purple ninebark (‘Diabolo’)
Purple ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’) is a great choice for a hedge or privacy screen. It grows quickly and tall, and it tolerates wind, road salt, and pruning. Its deep wine-red, lush foliage adds a bold pop of color to the greenery. The flowers are white. This easy-care shrub does well in wet clay soil and also in drier conditions, in sun or shade, with average nutrients.
Height: 2–2.5 m
Blooming season: June–July
Hardiness zones: I–IV
