Spirea in the Garden by Vicki Barney

I have several plants hiding in plain sight.   Landscaped by the previous owner, my yard has a variety of cultivars tucked into inconspicuous places: hugging a wall, behind a showy perennial, hiding under bushes, and the like.   A white flowering spirea bush is one of them. Spirea plants (genus Spiraea), part of the Rosaceae family, are deciduous shrubs of various sizes.   They are low maintenance, hardy, prolific bloomers and are a great addition to any garden.   Some species bloom in the spring, others in summer, and the showy tiny flowers grow in clusters along woody stems.   Flower colors may be pink, red, yellow, or white, depending on the variety.   Most varieties tolerate poor soil, need a lot of sun, like to have room to spread out, and do not like wet feet. While they are not classified as xeric, they can manage with little water once established.   Their flowers are more prolific, however, with regular summer watering, and mulch around the plants help retain moisture. As for