Usually grown as an ornamental shrub for its winter stem colour red dogwood also makes a brilliant hedging plant the strong upright stems produce bright green ovate leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers in may and june which are attractive to bees in autumn the leaves take on warm shades of red before falling to reveal the thicket of bright crimson stems working well as part of a mixed hedge to inject winter interest or as a striking barrier on its own cornus alba truly provides all yea