A popular and versatile deciduous shrub, Forsythia is named after botanist William Forsyth, a founder of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which is low-maintenance and fast-growing, tolerating various soils and conditions, making it great for hedges, borders, or specimen plantings, though it needs sun for best blooms and occasional pruning to manage size.

Bright yellow fragrant blooms are produced during early Spring, prior to the foliage on bare woody stems, signalling the end of Winter, and the awakening of the garden. This delightful and cheery shrub will attract early pollinators to the garden, and is fully hardy.

How to plant

— Forsythia bare roots are suppied in spring for planting between February and May. They will need light and moisture very soon after delivery, so unpack within 1-2 days of arrival. If you can't plants on the day of delivery, place roots in a bucket of water outside to soak, then plant within a week.

— Soak the roots in water for 3-6 hours prior to planting. Depending on the growing conditions, it is often possible to plant your bare root shrub directly into a border. The soil should be good quality, free draining and the new shrub will need a clear space around it. Dig over the area to soften the soil and remove any weeds. Check that there is sufficient clear space around the new shrub and that established neighbouring plants are unlikely to overcrowd it during the growing season. Dig a hole deep and wide enough to fit the entire root system. The roots need to be fully submerged after planting, the stem and branches should remain above the soil surface after planting.

— Improve the texture of the growing conditions and give the new shrub a boost of nutrients by mixing some organic matter like compost or leaf mould into the planting hole. Doing this provides a softer medium for the roots to grow in. Avoid adding manure to the planting hole as this can be too rich and damage the young roots.

— Position the shrub in the hole with the most attractive side facing into the garden. Once in place, backfill the hole and firm down. Water thoroughly after planting to keep the root hydrated and settle the soil.

— If your borders have challenging growing conditions/poor soil (heavy clay or light sandy soil) or if the border isn't ready for planting, you can pot up your bare root shrub to grow-on and establish before transferring into a border later in the year. Pot up into a 20-30cm temporary pot using multipurpose or soil based compost. Ensure the roots are fully submerged and the stem is exposed above the soil surface. Water thoroughly and allow it to grow-on in a sheltered position outside. Once the shrub easily comes out of the pot with the soil held intact by the roots, or the roots become visible through the drainage holes of the pot, it is ready to transplant.

— When planting into the garden, choose a position which is in full sun or partial shade, with moist but well-drained soil.

— This shrub is deciduous and will lose its leaves in autumn. It is fully hardy and does not require winter protection.

— Water after planting and continue watering regularly for the first year while the shrub settles in. Once established, watering is only necessary during particularly dry spells.

Aftercare

— Forsythia is dormant when supplied and will not usually have any leaves in early to mid spring. Leaves will emerge by around mid April.

— Water regularly in the first year while the shrub is settling in so that the soil is consistently damp.

— New shrubs can be allowed to grow naturally for the first 1-2 years with only a light trim after flowering.

— In future years, it is worthwhile to prune the shrub back by around one third after flowering to encourage it to branch out and form a bushy habit.

— Once the shrub is fully established with multiple stems, up to a quarter of the oldest, thickest stems can be cut back to the base each winter to make space for new stems.

— Apply a generous mulch of organic matter in spring or autumn to feed the shrub and retains moisture in the soil.

Read further general instructions about planting bare-root shrubs