Two plants which are giving me great pleasure now are the diminutive North American woodlander Scoliopus bigelovii and the suckering shrub Oemleria cerasiformis.
You would probably fail to notice either of them in high summer but at this time of year they stand out.
The Scoliopus only grows to about 6”, has beautifully veined flowers, and neat hosta- like foliage. It seems happy in moist shade.
The Oemleria cerasiformis is an 'easy to grow' 6’ shrub and is probably not worthy of a prime position.
It looks quite dull by April and spreads with a little too much enthusiasm. Plant it in a hedgerow where you can admire it when it is at it’s peak, and then let it fight it out with tough neighbours the rest of the year.
