A hedge takes up garden space, so you want it to put that space to good use, right? You want it to be showy and interesting for more than a few weeks. If you plant Red Twig Dogwood, it’ll provide color in both your summer and winter landscapes. Gorgeous white flowers bloom from late spring into early summer, attracting the neighborhood butterflies. In midsummer, the flowers are replaced by ripening fruit, which attracts beautiful birds. Then in winter comes the big revealthe leaves fall away to show brilliant red stems. Against the neutral winter white, brown and grey tones, this bright color really shines. All this comes on an easy, dependable shrub. It tolerates a wide range of soils, including occasional standing water and dry spells. It is rarely visited by rabbits or deer. It’s also fast growing, if you want a quick screening or privacy plant. Cornus alba