Japanese Spiraea 'Sonia'

Japanese spirea 'Sonia' (Spiraea japonica 'Sonia') is a soft pink cloud for your garden. In summer the bush is covered with large flat clusters of raspberry-pink flowers, while the toothed foliage changes outfits more than once: coppery red in spring, turning yellow and crimson by autumn.

It is planted in low edgings, as blocks of colour in borders and in small informal hedges. Flowering comes in June and July on the current year's wood, so in early spring the stems can be cut back to 30 cm from the ground - and the bush repays it with even more bloom. Full sun gives the best flowering; in part shade there are noticeably fewer flowers.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The shrub shrugs off city air, holds no interest for deer, and still brings butterflies to its pink flower clusters.
• Dimensions: A mature bush reaches 1.2-1.8 m tall and 1.5-2.1 m wide.
• Hardiness: Overwinters without cover - it takes frosts down to -40 °C (USDA zone 3).
• Flowering: In June-July the bush is covered with flat corymb-like heads of fine pink flowers.
• Light: It flowers best in full sun; light partial shade is tolerated, though the display is less generous there.
• Soil: A moderately fertile, evenly moist and well-drained soil; it is especially grateful for rich, moist loams.
• Watering: Moderate, even watering through the season so the root zone never dries out.
• Care: In late winter or early spring cut the shoots back to 30 cm from the ground - the bush responds willingly.
• Landscape use: Adorns cottage and informal gardens, wildlife gardens and flower borders.