Also known as the Bloody dogwood or blood twig on account of its glowing winter colour, Cornus ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’, is one of the best for colour, being much prized for its vibrant, orange-flushed red stems. Widely grown as ornamental plants, dogwoods are a subtle, underestimated garden staple that comes into their own when their leaves change colour in a glorious display in autumn, falling to reveal the flame-coloured branches so popular with gardeners. Fully winter hardy, dogwoods are a popular shrub for any garden or even a large container as they are unfussy and are both easy to grow and low maintenance, with a long season of interest - all year round. In spring, dogwoods bust into bloom with heads of dainty white flowers that are a magnet to butterflies and bees. These are followed in late summer by blackberries that will attract all manner of birds into your garden. Fully deserving of its coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be sure that this is a proven garden performer, guaranteed to be suitable for UK gardeners at every level of experience. You can therefore plant this in the garden with confidence, for stunning displays for many years to come. Grow in sun or partial shade but be aware that dogwood produces the best stem colour when grown in full sun. Specifications Supplied as an established plant in a 17cm pot Grows to eventual 2.5m x 2.5m height and width Availability: September to February Planting time: February to November Flowering time: May to June Fruiting time: August to September Top Tips Plant among evergreen shrubs for a stunning display of winter colour. Care Information Planting Advice for Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’: Grow in full sun to partial shade. Dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you are planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to refill once the shrub is in place. We’ve found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges, tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through. Before planting, soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain. Remove the plant from its pot, tease out a few of the roots and add mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish more quickly. Place your shrub in the hole at the same level as the pot, then refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling). Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the rootball, and water well. Aftercare advice for Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’: Keep plants well-watered until established. Pruning Advice for Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ Remove a third of the stems back to ground level in March, when the new buds start to swell to promote new growth, which has the best colour.
