Plant of the Day
Tuesday 13 January 2026
The red stems of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (Siberian dogwood) look great in this winter display border as they contrast with the groundcover of a golden leafed Carex (sedge) cultivar. This suckering deciduous shrub will produce a thicket of red stems, especially when growing in full sun. The new stems are most vibrant so once the plant is established the display benefits from the plants being cut back (coppiced) before ‘bud burst’ in spring.
Jill Raggett
Plant of the Day
Thursday 8 January 2026
Before the wonderful orange stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ (dogwood) are revealed in the winter the leaves create a golden show. This is one of the best cultivars for vigour and winter colour.
Jill Raggett
Cornus sericea / Red Osier at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC
entrance – 27c Eccleston Pl, London SW1W 9NF, United Kingdom
Cornus opened in August of 2024, independently owned by David O’Connor and Joe Nairne. Executive Chef Gary Foulkes offers a changing menu of British and European seasonal produce. It’s a large place on the 4th floor of a modern building with curtained windows on 3 sides. The high ceiling is lined with black electrical conduits and…
You know it’s autumn when … you spot the gorgeous white berries of gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa), also referred to as northern swamp dogwood and panicle dogwood. Gray dogwood is one of two local Cornus species (the other being red osier dogwood) with white berries. Gray dogwood is a mounding, suckering shrub found in bottomland forests at lower elevations, especially along streams and riverbanks. Red osier has a similar shrubby stature but prefers higher elevation forests. Silky dogwood is yet another shrubby member of genus Cornus and lives in the same habitat as gray dogwood, but has blue (rather than white) berries.
Cornus elliptica ‘Elsbry’ / 'Elsbry’ Evergreen Dogwood at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC
Cornus kousa / Kousa Dogwood at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC
Plant of the Day
Monday 6 May 2024
This container provided a display all winter with cut stems of Salix (willow) and Cornus (dogwood) cultivars edged with the evergreen Carex ‘Feather Falls’ (sedge).
Jill Raggett
Cornus florida / Flowering Dogwood at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC
Plant of the Day
Thursday 11 April 2024
These containers had great ‘cages’ made from the colourful woven stems of Salix (willow) and Cornus (dogwood) species. The planting included the pale coloured flowers of Narcissus ‘Thalia’ (daffodil) and contrasting dark purple blooms of a Helleborus x hybridus cultivar.
Jill Raggett
Instrument built by María Ruíz and Abraham Cupeiro, based on the cornus found at Pompeii in the 19th century.
Gave me goosebumps!
