Optimizing Shrub Selection for Year-Round Appeal

Shrubs, varying in height from 1 to 20 feet, form the majority of the permanent planting once the trees and evergreens are strategically placed. These are the plants that effectively border or hedge the landscape, providing the flowers and fruits that add color to the grounds. Three critical aspects should be considered for each shrub on a small property:

1. Does it produce decorative flowers and fruits?
2. When do they bloom, and how long do they stay vibrant?
3. What is the fall foliage color, and does the plant provide winter interest?

Certain plants, such as viburnums and dogwoods, offer year-round appeal, with vibrant flowers, fruits, and autumn hues, and may even retain interest in the winter. Their color can be appreciated during three distinct seasons, for a combined duration of 6 to 8 weeks at least. In contrast, plants like lilacs, mockoranges, and weigelas, are only colorful for about 2 weeks during their blooming phase, lacking interesting fruits or autumn colors.

When space is limited, it is crucial to choose shrubs that provide color and interest across multiple seasons. Therefore, it is beneficial to research the seasonal appeal of various shrubs and select those that maintain interest for several periods throughout the year.

Garden Planning Shrubs

As housing and garden sizes decrease, there is a growing inclination towards smaller shrubs. Once popular tall-growing lilacs and vigorous-growing Euonymus europaea are losing favor to lower growing shrubs of three to four feet in height. Nurseries are on a constant quest for smaller new plant varieties suitable for foundation plantings around the house. Some gardeners are even investing in the labor-intensive practices of growing espaliered fruit trees on walls and fences, and delving into the ancient Japanese art of Bonsai, all in the pursuit of maximizing plant diversity in a limited space.

The ultimate size of the shrubs matters greatly; taller ones serve as background and screens, while smaller ones can be foreground specimen plants. Placing single-specimen plants is a challenging task, even for trained landscape architects. A common mistake is planting a specimen in the exact center of a lawn area. This is often counterproductive as open lawn areas enhance the beauty and apparent size of any property. Specimens are best placed off-center or on the sides of lawn areas, ensuring a long, clear sweep of unobstructed lawn.

For hedges, dense-growing shrubs such as barberries, privets, most of the shrub roses, yews, and others are commonly used. Though nearly any shrub can be sufficiently clipped to function as a hedge, denser-growing types are often the easiest to maintain. With more than a hundred plant varieties making good hedges, it’s critical to determine the exact purpose of the hedge before selecting the plant material. This ensures not only functionality but also the opportunity to add something unique to the landscape. When positioning a hedge, it’s advised to avoid placing it on the exact center of a property line to prevent future neighborly disputes. For a sturdy, well-structured hedge, trim it so that it’s wider at the bottom than the top.