The cumulative effects of many years of plant breeding allows gardeners to be extremely selective when making choices for their home landscape. One particular area exhibiting vast improvements are the many shrubs that have benefited from field trials where testing cold hardiness and drought tolerance are rated along with floral display, possible berry set, and fall color. Call it the three season test, the winners provide attributes that scan three seasons by providing flowers in spring, berries for fall and winter, plus handsome fall foliage. One group of plants that has improved mightily over the last decade are the viburnums. Real winners when it comes to toughness and seasonal beauty. If there is a drawback it would be the issue of berry set. With most, more than one is required to set fruit, so either buy more than one or encourage your neighbors to plant viburnums as well. Winter berries often provide food for birds which might be one of the best reasons to plant them. Hybridizers have 150 species to work with, and I believe we have only begun to see how extra special this group of plants can be. Listed below are a few of my favorites.

Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Muffin'

A form of Arrowhead Viburnum, the foliage is more deeply cut than the species. Forming a dense mound, covered in spring with white flowers followed by dark blue berries. Grows to 7 feet with an equal spread. This native selection is also pollinated by Viburnum acerifolium.

Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur'

A selection of Viburnum commonly known as Smooth Withe-Rod, this species is native to Eastern North America. Creamy white flowers in June, lustrous oval berries in late summer that turn from pink to blue by fall. Excellent fall foliage, turning dark bronze-red. This viburnum received the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal in 1991. To reliably have berry set you need the species, Viburnum nudum or Viburnum n. 'Brandywine' planted nearby.

Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Summer Snowflake'

A form of Doublefile Viburnum, more compact habit growing 4 to 6 feet tall at maturity. Flowers are continuously produced from May to November.

Viburnum x burkwoodi 'Conoy'

Spreading habit, ultimately reaching 4 to 5 feet with a 6 foot spread. Dark red buds open to creamy white, slightly fragrant flowers in spring. Red berries age to black in October. Another Donald Egolf hybrid, developed at the National Arboretum in Washington DC. Some very nice specimens can be seen in Middleburg, planted at the Hill School. Rivaled only by Hydrangeas for the vast number of newly named selections, we will all benefit from this trend towards multi-season appeal from most of the new viburnums. In many the berry colors and the seasonal changes will prompt visions of plant partnerships. Viburnum 'Blue Muffin' is already sharing space with Salvia pitcheri and the native grass Schizachyrium 'The Blues' in my virtual garden space. Low growing euphorbias will dress up the ground under viburnums for the winter months as they sag under the weight of their own berries.

The newly formed Piedmont/Blue Ridge Horticultural Society will have its first meeting at Blandy or the State Arboretum on September 12th from 2:00 to 4:00. David Roos of Marshall, Virginia is the speaker, a true plantsman with a great sense of horticultural humor. For more information visit their website at http://www.pbrhs.org/