Dogwood

Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire

• Position: full sun to part shade
• Soil: any moderately fertile soil
• Rate of growth: fast-growing
• Flowering period: June
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  This deciduous shrub has oval, mid-green leaves and produces small, creamy-white flowers in May and June. But it's really grown for the brilliant,flame-coloured stems that are revealed when the leaves, which turn orange-yellow in autumn, fall. This fabulous dogwood looks best planted in groups in damp areas of the garden, beside water, or in a winter border. One of our recommended plants, it's best in full sun, and works particularly well with red or purple-stemmed varieties of dogwood.
  
  
• Garden care: For best stem colour, cut the stems back hard to within 5-7cm (2-3in)from the ground in March and apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or horse manure around the base of the plant.