Containers, Landscape and Arrangements: Euonymus fortunei

It's ubiquitous, this shrub that I can never remember the name of. It's been in our front yard forever, and I had a love-hate relationship with it until I figured out how to keep it looking lovely. And then I discovered some magic.

I often see Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ or another variety pruned severely into hedges in formal landscapes, but that's not my style. My rambling garden resists artificial shapes.

This vining shrub seems to grow year round, and I have found by keeping it low to the ground it relaxes, putting up wonderful spires that just beg to be included in bouquets.

Trimming it back twice a year is all I ever do for it, and it never complains. When all my annuals die in early winter, I pull rooted stems from the Euonymus to fill in some of the empty places, and gradually many of my deep shade containers are filling up with these starts.

I love how it combines with other brilliantly colored foliage plants, or sets off flowers in a vase.

Just more pictures...

 "Profusion" Zinnia from Park Seed (2 colors), Russian Sage, Smoke Tree and Euonymus fortunei