How to Select the Best Shrubs for Your Yard
When you landscape your yard, you may initially think of a design with annual and perennial flowers, but shrubs are a great way to bring beauty to your space. They come in many sizes, shapes, and colors to meet the needs of every gardener. Picking the right ones for your area ensures they’ll look great and stand the test of time.
Here are some questions to think about when choosing shrubs.
What Do I Want My Shrubs to Accomplish?
First, think about why you want shrubs in your yard. Some people plant shrubs for privacy, opting for tall, dense evergreens like junipers or arborvitae. If you want a focal point, choose something that has beautiful flowers or foliage like burning bushes, or plant weigela to attract wildlife into the yard.
What Kind of Hardiness Do I Need?
To maintain shrubs over the long term, you’ll need to choose plants suited for your local growing conditions, especially the heat of summer and cold of winter. If you live in hot, dry climates, look for heat- and drought-tolerant types like spirea or boxwood. Cold-tolerant gardenia and dogwood do well where it snows.
How Much Light Do I Have?
The amount of sun your yard gets during the day also needs to be considered. Is your planting spot always sunny, or does it get shade? Many shrubs are tolerant of different light conditions, but many flowering shrubs need plenty of light, or their blooms may be lackluster.
What Space Am I Working With?
Shrubs typically start small but grow bigger, so you want the mature height and width to fit the intended space. Smaller yards may benefit from cotoneaster or other compact varieties that don’t grow very high. Large shrubs help shade your house in summer, and low-growing junipers cover slopes, minimizing soil erosion.
What Kind of Soil is in My Yard?
Shrubs are typically quite tolerant of poor soils, but you still need to consider the spot you want to plant. If it doesn’t drain well, you’re better off looking for something tolerant of wet conditions like sweetspire or viburnum. If you have acidic soil, you need an acid-loving shrub such as azaleas that require a low pH for their beautiful flower color.
What Are the Common Diseases and Pests in the Area?
Talk to your neighbors, coworkers, and employees at the local nursery to see what diseases and insect pests are problematic locally. Then choose plants resistant to these problems to avoid constant struggles down the road. Remember that humid areas are more prone to fungal diseases like anthracnose and blight.
Can I Handle Maintenance?
Lastly, think about how much effort and time you’re willing to dedicate to maintenance. Do you want to prune your shrubs every spring, or would slow-growing varieties better suit your lifestyle? Drought-tolerant options are great for homeowners without a lot of time to water.