A truly satisfying deciduous shrub, Cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’ keeps your attention from the moment the first leaf buds emerge in spring, so bright that they look like little flames. Soon afterwards the new leaves open a soft gold shade, gradually turning a lighter, golden-lime colour by summer.
Not only are the leaves a highly pleasing colour, they also have a translucent quality to them, creating a magical effect in the garden on sunny days when they take on varying appearances at different times of the day.
In autumn, the foliage colours are transformed by the cooler temperatures into a rainbow mixture of orange, red, yellow and coral, described by one entranced gardener as "like a dish of sugar coated candy."
The foliage is good for picking, lasting well in the vase. Imagine it combined with blue hydrangeas in a big vase, or with orange or golden lilies, perhaps even with berries in the autumn, creating a warm glow of colour to take your mind off the signs that winter is approaching.
Cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’ fits in well with all sorts of planting schemes. Try it with big, blue and purple flowered Clematis, of which there are many single flowered varieties to choose from plus some mouth wateringly attractive doubles, such as ‘Kiri Te Kanawa’.
Blue flowers make good companions for this cold hardy shrub. Among those to provide attractive blue shades in spring, summer and autumn, when the Cotinus foliage goes through its ever pleasing, subtle variations in colour, are shrubs such as Dichroa ‘Blue Sapphires’, Hebes, Lavenders such as ‘Purple King’, dusky blue, lavender-like Perovskia, cranesbill Geraniums, one of the best of which is the new variety ‘Rozanne’, Delphiniums, Larkspurs, tall growing Salvias and Hydrangeas.
Or you can grow Cotinus ‘Golden Spirit’ next to some dramatic roses, such as golden ‘Graham Thomas’, old fashioned, violet ‘Veilchenblau’, or simply plant it in a mixed border of deciduous shrubs and small trees noted for their season long foliage displays, such as Japanese maples, Cotinus ‘Grace’ and Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’.
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Schemes & Themes
using Liddle Wonder Plants