This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.

• Position: full sun to part shade
• Soil: deep, fertile, moisture-retentive soil
• Rate of growth: slow-growing to average
• Flowering period: June
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Known as the wedding cake tree, because of its distinctive, horizontal, tiered habit, this tree makes a lovely focal point for a small to medium-sized garden. It has bright green leaves with bold, creamy-white margins, which turn red-purple in autumn, and produces clusters of white flowers in June. Although it tolerates dappled shade, it performs best in fertile, moisture-retentive soil in full sun. This plant in a 3lt pot will be approx 20cm tall so won't have the tiered branches yet, but this spectacular shape will develop as it grows.
  
  
• Garden care: Incorporate a quantity of well-rotted garden compost or horse manure in the planting hole to improve the moisture-retentive qualities of the soil. The tree requires no regular pruning, since this would interfere with its graceful, tiered habit.