Garden Shrubs

It's time to plant a new garden or overhaul your current one. Deciding on the types of shrubs can be overwhelming with all the varieties available. You may decide on the common and familiar or be bold and go for the new and unusual. Either way you will be deciding on the evergreens or deciduous types of shrubs. You will have one of the widest choices with over 700 species of evergreens in the categories of Rhododendrons and azaleas. These are readily available and long-lived ornamental woody plants with flowers. The flowers will add to the beauty of your garden having various shapes, colors, and tints. The two most popular are the Pink Pearl and the Rhododendron Maximum with it's large pink flowers. Some hybrid species include the Boule de neige (white), Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong (pink), Everestianum (purple), and the
Caractacus (red). When planting be careful not to put them in limey soil as they won't grow. Protect then against winter-burn by using humus liberally.

Azaleas also thrive under the same conditions as the Rhododendron and are a favorite as a foundation shrub. Azaleas have a soft pastel flower in shades of orange, yellow and tan.

In southern and less severe winter climates the Boxwood is a favorite. This evergreen can be pruned to a wide variety of attractive shapes for paths and walkways. Lest to grow it will attain heights of twenty feet.

If you are looking for a hardy evergreen with glossy green leaves and read berries the Euonymus Patens is the holly for you. The Japanese Holly, Inkberry both resemble boxwoods.

Another foundation shrub is the Laurel. The American mountain laurel bears clusters of pink flowers in the spring.

If you have areas around your house where grass won't grow use the Pachysandra (Japanese Spurge). One of the best loved deciduous shrubs, is the lilac. Be sure that if you buy a lilac it is grafted on nit's own stock or a privet stock. There are hundreds of lilac varieties and some reach a height of ten feet and it's flowers are a light purple. Other colors of lilacs are white, pink, red and blue.