Forsythias for flower and foliage
The standard forsythia
is the belle of the ball in spring, with its bold burst of yellow flowers.
But it can be boring the rest of the year, hogging the dance floor with
somewhat humdrum foliage. Varieties with variegated leaves keep the party
going after their blooms fade. ‘Fiesta’ is
a compact forsythia (about 3 feet tall to 4 feet wide) whose green
leaves have buttery-yellow centers. The leaves of ‘Golden Times’ have
green centers trimmed in bright yellow. The variety known as ‘Kumson’ could
easily have been named ‘Wow’. Sporting dark green leaves
with a dramatic network of white veins, it would turn heads even if
it never flowered. Plant it in a semi-shady location and prepare for
the paparazzi.