Using Shrubs in the Landscape
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| Photo Credit: Kris Stell |
| An informal assortment of shrubs and other plant material in a curving design is very attractive. |
Whether planning a landscape for a new home or revitalizing your aged back yard, don’t forget the shrubs! These wonderful plants help tie a garden together and serve as a nice backdrop for groundcovers, annuals and perennials. With proper selection and placement, shrubs can also provide a nice low-maintenance environment that provides privacy, protects your home from the weather, attracts wildlife, reduces noise and the need to mow, hides unsightly areas and simply beautifies the area around your home.
The thing to remember when you’re designing with shrubs (or trees, for that matter) is to plan for full growth. Even though the 1-gallon plant you brought home from the garden center looks pretty small now, it won’t always stay that way. Don’t place shrubs too close to your house or any other location where they might outgrow their allotted space and wreak havoc. Similarly, be well-aware of any shrub’s mature size before you actually put it in the ground – otherwise you may end up with a hedge that covers your windows or a shrub that attacks you (and your guests) every time you walk out the front door. (Among other problems.)
When it comes to shrub success, keep this phrase in mind: “right plant, right spot.” Your local garden center should only sell shrubs that are appropriate for your region’s climate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the plant’s the best selection for your yard. If your planting bed is in full sun during most of the day, for example, you don’t want a shrub that likes the shade. Additionally, most shrubs grow best in moist, well-drained soil, so avoid a dry-loving shrub if your designated planting area often stays wet (and vice versa).
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| Tips |
- When beginning any design project, first decide what kind of look you want and how big you’d like your planting beds to be. Would you like straight, symmetrical beds or curved, free-flowing ones? A formal look or an informal one? Once you’ve got your look on paper, use a rope or hose to do the layout in your yard.
- Dwarf shrub varieties should be considered if you only want a certain height out of your shrubs or if you’d like a layered effect in front of larger shrubs.
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| Resources |
- Looking for a good book on shrubs? Try Your Florida Guide to Shrubs: Selection, Establishment and Maintenance by Edward F. Gilman and Robert J. Black (University Press of Florida, 1999).
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