In article , "Walter R."
wrote:

I live in Southern California. I would like to insert a little color in my
garden under a 50' Deodor cedar. I planted a bougainvillea, it just sits
there without color, I planted several red oleanders, they have not grown an
inch in 2 hears. The only thing that survives is a bunch of Meyer Asparagus
Fern.

The area is fairly open and gets sun most of the day. Plenty of water from
my drip system.

Any ideas for some tough, colorful shrub that gets along with conifers?


A small to mid-sized azalea called 'Purple Splendor' related to R.
poukahense (Korean azalea) will likely thrive in such a location, though
you don't say what zone you're in so it's hard to say for sure what shrubs
might suit.

For little off-season flowers you could plant Cyclamen hederofilium often
found under cedars in their natural range.

If your zone is right for them, large Japanese anemomes provide big leafy
presence spring & summer & large flowers summer & early fall, then die
back until spring.

Several kinds of grape hyacinths would also flourish in conditions you describe.

-paghat the ratgirl
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