There are a lot of viburnums on the market and many growing well as flowering hedges. Most produce clusters of white or delicate pink flowers in early spring. Look for types such as Koreanspice viburnum (V. carlesii), which offer fragrant flowers, or for varieties that develop red or black berries. Snowball viburnum (V. opulus 'Roseum'), pictured here, grows 8-10 feet tall. The variety 'Nanum' stays under 3 feet tall. Name: Viburnum spp. Growing...

With a name like summersweet, you can guess that this shrub's pink or white flowers are fragrant. It's one of the few shrubs that bloom well in shade, although it also will grow in full sun in the north, provided it has adequate moisture. Name: Clethra alnifolia Growing Conditions: Full sun to shade and moist soil Size: 3-5 feet tall and wide Zones: 3-9

Chaste tree is a drought-tolerant shrub with elegant divided compound leaves and fragrant lilac, blue, or white flowers borne in long panicles in late summer to autumn. Gardeners in Zone 5 can treat it like a perennial because it dies to the ground each winter but resprouts from the roots. Name: Vitex agnus-castus Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 6-25 feet tall and wide Zone...

Also known as blue-mist spirea, bluebeard is a late-season bloomer with powder-puff blue, pink, or purple flowers on compact plants with gray-green foliage. Selections offering variegated or gold foliage are also available. It is deer- and drought resistant and attracts butterflies. Name: Caryopteris clandonensis Growing Conditions: Full sun with well-drained soil Size: 3-5 feet tall and wide Zones...

Bridalwreath spirea makes an elegant border and is widely adaptable, deer proof, drought tolerant, and easy to grow. An arching abundance of white flower clusters in mid-spring give the shrub a romantic air. Name: Spiraea vanhouttei Growing Conditions: Full sun with well-drained soil Size: To 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide Zones: 4-8

Butterfly bush blooms in purple, pink, or white with lightly fragrant flowers. Because it blooms on new wood, you can trim butterfly bush to the ground in late winter to keep plants more compact without sacrificing its display. As its name suggests, the flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. 'Blue Chip' butterfly bush grows only 20 inches tall and wide and blooms continuously from early summer through autumn. Name: Buddleja davidii ...

Beautybush produces arching branches loaded with delicate pink bell-shape blooms in late spring. The plant is deer resistant and holds up well during drought conditions. Name: Kolkwitzia amabilis Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: 8-10 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide Zones: 5-9

Purple beautyberry bears clusters of pink blooms along its stem in late summer. The flowers develop into iridescent purple berries in fall. In Zone 5, beautyberry may die back over winter, but will resprout from the base to produce a full crop of flowers and fruits. The shrub is quite drought tolerant. Name: Callicarpa dichotoma Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil Size: 4-5 feet tall and wide ...

Purple beautyberry bears clusters of pink blooms along its stem in late summer. The flowers develop into iridescent purple berries in fall. In Zone 5, beautyberry may die back over winter, but will resprout from the base to produce a full crop of flowers and fruits. The shrub is quite drought tolerant. Name: Callicarpa dichotoma Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil Size: 4-5 feet tall and wide ...