Glossy Abelia

Abelia × grandiflora is an elegant and hardworking semi-evergreen shrub that makes a beautiful, informal flowering hedge. It is prized for its long season of interest; from mid-summer until well into autumn, it is covered in clusters of small, funnel-shaped, fragrant white flowers that are often tinged with pink. These flowers are set against a backdrop of small, glossy, dark green leaves that take on a bronze-purple hue in the autumn. Even after the flowers fall, the rosy-red calyces persist, providing continued colour. It has a graceful, arching habit but can be pruned into a more formal shape if desired. It is generally hardy (H4) but appreciates a sheltered, sunny spot to flower at its best, especially in colder parts of the UK. It grows well in any fertile, well-drained soil. A light prune in late winter or early spring is sufficient to maintain its size and encourage vigorous new flowering wood.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil.

Hardiness: H4 — down to −10°C.

Flowering: Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.