See this shrub in in its wispy flowering finery, or its fiery autumn colours, & you'll understand why it is loved by so many gardeners. Even when it's not putting on a special display, Cotinus coggygria ' Royal violet' is a beautiful sight with its neat form & rounded rich violet leaves. It's the feathery, smoke-like flowers, pink in summer & turning tan in autumn, which give the plant its popular name of the Smoke Bush. This large, deciduous shrub is easy to grow in almost any soil & thrives in sun or shade. It can be allowed to grow unchecked, or alternatively can be pruned hard every few years to keep it as a smaller shrub with larger leaves. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Height & spread: 5m (16').