How to plant a dogwood border using different Cornus for great color

In this article we will show how to plant a dogwood border using different Cornus for great color. Dogwoods are those shrubs that always fascinated us. During winter time, they present us with magnificent colorful stems when illuminated in sunny days.

We found a great place to create a small Cornus border, right next to one of our cultivation sites. They are perfect for informal hedges and we are planting them against the protection net that isolates the pots are from the open field.

First, we chose the dogwoods to plant, we are planting three different types:

• Cornus alba ‘sibirica’ – Siberian dogwood, with red stems
• Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ – Yellow-Twig Dogwood
• Cornus sanguinea ‘midwinter fire’ with orange stems

And select the right place for them. We are placing yellow stems in the hedges and the red and orange stems in the middle, being the Cornus alba sibirica in the back and Cornus sanguinea in the front as it tends to grow shorter.

When the spots are assigned, it is time to dig. The procedure here is the common to plant shrubs in the ground.

Dig a hole, remove the plant from the pot, scratch the roots a little if they are to tight in the root ball.

Plant at the same deep as they were in the pot and press the soil around the roots so there is no air pockets.

Water each individual shrub even if the weather is rainy.

 You can get an idea of the effect the border will have next year. We are planting during winter and we will cut the stems close to the base when spring is about to arrive. This will allow the plants to grow new stems that will grow bigger and have better color next winter. For now, we are just letting these as they are so we can appreciate the view.