2025’s Best new shrubs & fragrant roses
This year’s crop of new shrubs has some pretty exciting introductions. From beautiful foliage, delicious fruit and intoxicating fragrance, there's sure to be something to tempt you into trying one of these new shrubs for 2025. Dive in and discover the standout shrubs that could be the perfect addition to your garden this year!
Sgt. Pepper™ Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba)
For multiseason interest with just one plant, give Sgt. Pepper Tatarian dogwood a try. Spring leaves, right have a pink flush on the creamy edges. The pink fades in summer, then in fall leaves mature to burgundy with a pink flush. Prune the oldest stems back by a third after the white flowers bloom in early spring to get red stems the following winter.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Multiseason interest
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 4 to 6 ft. tall, 6 to 8 ft. wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 3 to 7
Introducer: Proven Winners®
Source: Garden Crossings, 616-875-6355
Golden Child™ arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
This pint-sized shrub is easy to fit into any size border or even containers. It has a naturally rounded shape and gold foliage that develops a light bronze cast in winter. Plus it has excellent resistance to drought-induced foliage scorch.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Dwarf shrub with gold foliage that won’t scorch
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall and wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 4 to 8
Introducer: Monrovia®
Source: Local garden centers
Flowerfull® smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Tired of floppy hydrangeas? FlowerFull smooth hydrangea won’t let you down. Its sturdy stems hold its numerous fluffy white flowers upright where you can enjoy them. Pruning is super simple — just cut the dry stems back by a third in early spring.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Lots of flowers on sturdy stems
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 3 to 4 ft. tall, 4 to 5 ft. wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 3 to 9
Introducer: First Editions Shrubs & Trees
Source: Local garden centers
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Crown Point™ holly (Ilex hybrid)
Make a statement in the border with this elegant new columnar holly — no pruning needed. The glossy, elongated blue-green leaves have the same prickly edge that gives holly its distinctive look. Crown Point will develop some berries on its own but will have more if you also grow ‘Blue Prince’ nearby.
Type: Shrub
Best features: A natural columnar shape and dense foliage
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 12 to 15 ft. tall, 4 to 6 ft. wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 6 to 9
Introducer: Garden Debut®
Source: Sooner Plant Farm, 918-453-0771
Bountiful™ Belle blueberry (Vaccinium hybrid)
Multiseason beauty is easy with this new blueberry. It has variegated new growth, loads of white spring flowers, purple-blue edible berries and red fall foliage. Bountiful Belle needs 800 chill hours (temps between 32 and 45 degrees F during winter) to produce fruit.
Type: Shrub
Best feature: Colorful new growth
Light: Full sun
Size: 3 to 4 ft. tall and wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 5 to 9
Introducer: Monrovia®
Source: Local garden centers
Best New Fragrant Roses for 2025
These three new disease-resistant roses offer a range of colors and sizes, so you have lots of choices for filling your garden with lovely scents.
Easy Charmer™ miniature rose (Rosa hybrid)
If you don't have a lot of space but love roses give this new miniature a try. Its compact size fits in most places and it has beautiful 1 ½ to 2 ½ inch petal-packed flowers with a delicious fragrance. It reblooms all season and has disease resistant foliage.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Cup-shaped double fuchsia-lavender blooms with a strong citrus scent
Light: Full sun
Size: 24 to 36 in. tall, 30 to 42 in. wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 5 to 10
Introducer: Weeks Roses
Source: Local garden centers
Dannahue™ shrub rose (Rosa hybrid)
It's hard to resist any area where this beautiful shrub rose is growing. Besides the luscious apricot colored flowers it has a fruit-filled scent you'll want to take in again and again. And as a shrub rose it's disease resistant, easy care and bloom all season.
Type: Shrub
Best features: Double apricot blooms with a medium fruity lemon, lychee and apricot fragrance
Light: Full sun
Size: 42 to 48 in. tall and wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 5 to 11
Introducer & Source: David Austin® Roses, 800-328-8893
Loves Me, Loves Me Not™ hybrid tea rose (Rosa hybrid)
Looking for a rose that will really turn heads? Check out Loves Me Loves Me Not tea rose with its beautiful 5-inch double blooms and a lovely fragrance you can't miss. Be sure to cut a few stems to bring indoors for your vase — it makes a great cut flower too!
Type: Shrub
Best features: Double deep pink blooms with a strong lilac, gardenia and pineapple scent
Light: Full sun
Size: 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Cold hardy: USDA zones 6 to 11
Introducer: Star Roses® and Plants
Source: Heirloom Gardens, 800-820-0465
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