Hardy Shrubs

Why not spend the long cold winter planning next year's garden additions? Adding shrubs is a great way to provide year round color. Proper planting of shrubs can to your landscaping so be sure to select the right ones based on shape, size and color.

Maybe you have noticed a space with no of color in your garden during the late summer and early fall. You might want to consider putting a Burning Bush there. This shrub will add a beautiful display of red color in that empty spot. Winter color can be dramatically improved by adding a China Holly. It's evergreen foliage and bright red berries will help add some color to your garden during those blah winter periods.

Shrubs also provide additional benefits. Maybe you wish to camouflage the foundation of your house with some short hedges. Use shrubs to define the border of your landscape or your yard. You can also use hedges to create natural borders of a walking garden and fill the closed areas that are created with flowers.

Choose your shrubs keeping in mind the height required on maturity. Hydrangea which grows to be about three to 5 feet and provides a nice low level shrub. Maybe you need something that is a little bit taller perhaps to go against the side of your house or on the edge of the garden. Chinese juniper will do nicely as it will grow between 5 and 8 feet. For the small areas where you don't want something that is very tall, add one of the many varieties of shrub that grow to under 3 feet such as the Dwarf Honeysuckle and Cranberry Cotoneaster .

Some shrubs can will grow wildly if they are not trimmed properly several times each season. One popular shrub that is easy to care for is the Bougainvillea which has beautiful bright red leaves. It is very tolerant to drought and requires very little pruning. The Mentor Barberry is another hardy shrub that requires minimal care.

For great color you might choose the Purple Sand Cherry which blooms with beautiful flowers in May and then produces colorful cherry colored berries in the fall. It has lovely purple foliage that lasts well into winter.

Adding shrubs to your landscape and garden plan will add interest to your overall landscaping. No matter which ones you choose, you should work out your plan on paper before your shopping trip to the nursery. That way you will have a much better understanding of your purchase requirements and can more easily visualize the end result.

Gardening and Houseplants