A SHRUB or bush is a small to medium-sized woody plant. They are low-maintenance plants but can provide structure and colour in gardens.
You can plant just a few bushes to fill in empty corners or run-down areas.
Shrubs are good for making hedges (a living wall composed of plants) with a beautiful border. Some home owners make hedges purely for decorative purposes, while others do it as a practical function.
You can trim hedge plants to precise sizes and shapes or let them grow but not too wild until they become difficult to maintain.
Some shrubs that can be relied on are oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Snowflake’) and spireas (Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’).
Hydrangeas are a favourite because its large, oakleaf-shaped leaves look great on their own and in combination with other plants. The leaves contrast well with smaller-leaved plants. Big blue- or pink-flowering hydrangeas should be cleaned and shaped early, cutting off the spent blooms from the previous year and removing any dead stems.
Spireas stay relatively small, which makes them useful all year round. Their narrow leaves contrast beautifully with oakleaf hydrangea.
You can also get shrubs with smoldering shades of purple like the purple smoke bushes (cotinus coggygria cvs) to add colour to your garden. They grow up to 15 feet tall and wide, and provide shade.
Roses are common shrubs for the garden. They are not only beautiful, but also come in various sizes and colours. The blooms of the shrub, which are two to four feet tall and wide, keep coming through out the year. Pruning, however, is necessary if you want them to bloom regularly.
Good gardening practices are the key to growing beautiful shrubs.