Shrubs

You may choose flowering or evergreen shrubs. Both kinds are worthwhile in different ways. Just bear in mind that flowering shrubs tend to have a fairly brief period of glory, and then you’re left with only foliage, so pick a shrub whose foliage you like. Good fall color, leaves, and/or berries may also be a factor in your decision. On the other hand, evergreen shrubs, whether broadleaf or needled, are valuable for long-term, consistent green color and, in many cases, a denser-growing profile.

Favorite shrubs for home landscapes include

• Flowering: Azalea, broom, buckeye, burning bush, daphne, flowering quince, forsythia, fothergilla, hibiscus, hydrangea, mock orange, smoke bush, sweetshrub, and winterberry
• Broadleaf evergreen (with spring flowers and more-or-less evergreen foliage): Andromeda, aucuba, barberry, boxwood, camellia, cotoneaster, gardenia, holly, laurel, mahonia, manzanita, mountain laurel, nandina, oleander, rhododendron, and rock rose
• Evergreen: Some cedars

Take a look at some of the roles shrubs can play:

• Foundation planting (around the base of your house to add architectural interest, insulation, and security)
• Boundary and hedge plantings (possibly in addition to, or in lieu of, fencing)
• Individual, solo spots of color (specimen plants)
• Mixed-border citizens for more architectural interest (have a mixture of shrubs, or have a mixture of one type of shrub and roses or perennials or vines or all of these)
• Backdrops for a flower border
• Entryway, poolside, deckside, or privacy plantings