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Using Shrubs In The Garden
Shrubs can add interest and dimension to your garden as well as act as a buffer to block out unsightly views or even soften the lines of your house.
They are great to fill in big empty spaces and add a feeling of depth.
Selecting the right shrubs for your garden can be a challenge. When selecting shrubs for your garden, there are a couple of things to take into consideration. One thing to look at is the time of year it blooms or if it blooms at all as well as the color of the flowers. Another is the size it will grow to - you don’t want a giant shrub to dwarf the little garden beside your steps but you might want a large shrub to block the view of the neighbors toolshed or the road across the street.
Below are a few common shrubs you might want to consider for your garden:
Rhododendron
Exotic looking flowering shrubs like Rhododendron and Azaleas (which is a type of rhododendron) are quite popular and do well in all types of climates. With over 700 species in all sizes and colors you should be able to find one of these to suit your needs. They are hardy plants that live quite long. One of the most popular species is the Rhododendron maximum, that has large pinkish flowers. Other popular species include the Everestianum which is purple, the Boule de neige which is white, the Caractacus which is vibrant red and the Lady Armstrong and Abraham Lincoln which are pink. The Azalea Malus with its flower in yellow and orange is quite popular as well.
Boxwood
The boxwood is another shrub that has been popular in gardens for generations. This evergreen does best in climates that do not have a severe winter and can be formally pruned into rounded shapes. It looks great beside the garden paths and can grow to 20 feet if you will let it.
Lilac
The lilac is perhaps one of the most fragrant shrubs. It can get a bit untamed and can grow to 10 feet or more. There are hundreds of varieties of lilacs and their fragrant blooms can be seen in springtime. They make great plants at the edge of the yard against the fence or in a less formal garden. Flowers range from white to lilac to deep purple.
Butterfly Bush
Buddleia, commonly known as the butterfly bush is a great shrub to have if you want to attract butterflies to you garden. It can be a small leaved shrub with purple flowers or a pink bush. The dwarf variety has white flowers and other colors include violet, red and purple. This bush can grow up to 16 feet so you need to carefully plan where you plant it!
Forsythia
The bright yellow flowers of the forsythia bush can be seen somewhere in almost every neighborhood and this plant makes a great shrub along a wall or a forest edge. It needs little care but can grow to be a bit unruly if left to its own devices.
Hibiscus
The hibiscus is another exotic looking shrub with flowers of purple, pink or white. It blooms in the summer and can grow to 12 feet in height.
Hydrangea
Another summer blooming shrub is the hydrangea which has giant mounds of flowers that are great for drying and adding to floral arrangements. The flowers of the hydrangea can be pink, blue or white depending on the composition of your soil.
Viburnum
Sometimes called the snowball bush, viburnum can grow to 12 feet in height and is great to soften the edge along fences or foundations or to screen out the neighbors! It has large white flowers in a snowball shape and it’s leaves turn a beautiful crimson color in the fall.
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