2026 Garden Progress

Sunshine Ligustrum

Ligustrum sinense 'Sunshine'
The bright chartreuse shrub carrying the side-house middle layer, especially strong against brick, burgundy loropetalum, and variegated liriope.
spring flush evergreen shrub 8 photos
Sunshine ligustrum glowing in the side-house foundation bed with Shaina maple, purple loropetalum, variegated liriope, and rhododendron
July 6, 2026

July foundation centerpiece

Sunshine is holding the bright center of the foundation bed in high summer, cleanly separating the rhododendron canopy from the burgundy and striped lower foliage.

Season notes
The shrub is full, dense, and reliably chartreuse in this July view. Shaina maple on the right and purple loropetalum below keep the brightness from taking over, while variegated liriope repeats the light color at ground level.
Sunshine ligustrum glowing chartreuse in the side-house foundation bed with purple loropetalum and variegated liriope
June 24, 2026

Late-June color block

Sunshine is carrying the brightest middle layer in the side-house bed, glowing chartreuse against brick, burgundy foliage, and variegated liriope.

Season notes
The shrub has moved from spring flush into a settled summer mass. It still reads as the main light source for the bed, especially beside the darker Shaina maple and purple loropetalum tones.
Sunshine ligustrum glowing in the side-house foundation bed with Shaina maple
May 30, 2026

Part of the full color block

The ligustrum is now reading as one side of a larger composition, glowing chartreuse across from the red Shaina maple and burgundy lower planting.

Season notes
This wider view shows why the shrub works in the bed: it is bright enough to balance the maple and still low enough to leave the brick-wall structure visible.
Sunshine ligustrum glowing above variegated liriope in the side-house bed
May 27, 2026

Sunshine and liriope

The ligustrum is at full late-May glow, with creamy chartreuse foliage sitting cleanly above the variegated liriope edge.

Season notes
This is the clearest view of its job in the bed: a bright middle layer against the brick, with dark loropetalum below and the striped liriope beginning to repeat across the front.
Sunshine ligustrum beside purple loropetalum, young liriope, and rhododendron petals
May 14, 2026

Sunshine and burgundy contrast

A strong close view of why the pairing works: bright yellow-green shrub color held down by the purple loropetalum beneath it.

Season notes
The ligustrum is dense, rounded, and bright, while the small liriope starts at the edge show the repeating line this section is starting to build.
Sunshine ligustrum glowing chartreuse with purple loropetalum in the side-house bed
May 10, 2026

Chartreuse corner

Sunshine is blazing in the side-house corner, giving the whole foundation run a bright visual stop.

Season notes
The purple loropetalum and young liriope keep the color from floating by giving it darker and finer-textured neighbors.
Sunshine ligustrum with purple loropetalum and young liriope in the side-house bed
April 21, 2026

Holding the middle

The shrub is already acting like the bright center of this side-house planting, with loropetalum spreading low around it.

Season notes
The little liriope starts are still small here, but their role is visible: repeat the front edge while Sunshine carries the color above.
Sunshine ligustrum lighting up the side-house bed beside purple loropetalum
April 16, 2026

Early side-house contrast

Early spring view of the ligustrum lighting up the corner while the purple loropetalum supplies the first strong contrast.

Season notes
This is the start of the side-house color relationship that keeps getting clearer through May: chartreuse shrub, burgundy contrast, and a tighter front edge forming below.