Evergreen shrubs and trees usually require little other pruning beyond the removal of dead, diseased, or injured branches unless they are being trained or shaped. That means evergreens can be lightly pruned to enhance their natural form or they can be heavily pruned to an unnatural form—usually to the form of a hedge or topiary. […] More
Most shrubs have a naturally lovely shape; they can be ruined by over-pruning. As a general rule: shrubs look best if left natural looking. Prune shrubs to enhance their natural shape and to encourage healthy growth. Correctly pruned, a shrub will look as if it had not been pruned at all. Shrubs like trees are […] More
Pruning involves trimming out unwanted or unhealthy plant growth to benefit the remaining portions of the plant. Pruning is always secondary to the constant good management of plants. Why prune Pruning can do the following: When to prune The time for pruning varies with the type of plant and the results you want to achieve. […] More
Shrubs are important and nearly permanent characters in the garden and landscape. They bring beauty, comfort, and pleasure to the landscape by adding structure to the garden. Shrubs alone can make a garden. Shrubs offer years of low-maintenance satisfaction. The time and effort spent in shrub care are minuscule compared to the years and even […] More
Hardy is a term used to describe a plant’s ability to survive in a specific climate zone—even through the cold of winter. Commonly gardeners use the term “hardy” to describe a plant that can survive a freeze, frost, or a cold snap. Half-hardy is a term used describes plants that can survive only limited or […] More
Groundcover plants are used to cover the ground and to conceal all signs of soil beneath. Groundcovers can be used to smother weeds, act as a living mulch to conserve soil moisture and to hold in place, and stem soil erosion. Low-growing shrubs can be used as groundcovers. Most are deep-rooted and longer lived than […] More
Shrubs add shape and structure to a garden. Most are also decorative—colorful or evergreen foliage, colorful and often fragrant flowers, fruits, and shapely stems. Shrubs stay a long time in the garden so it’s important to choose shrubs that have the form and size needed when mature. Know the eventual height and spread of a […] More
Flowering shrubs are an important element in nearly every garden or landscape design. They not only bring color to the landscape they add structure as well. Shrubs are woody-stemmed plants with a number of branches arising at or a little above ground level; shrubs lack conspicuous trunks. All shrubs flower, but some have inconspicuous blooms. […] More
Shrubs along with trees are the backbone of most garden and landscape designs. Shrubs serve different functions in the garden. They can act as walls or low borders. They can stand alone as specimens of interest. Specimen shrubs are colorful and vibrant; sometimes they are oddly shaped. A specimen shrub is usually planted alone but […] More
Serviceberry, Amelanchier, species include small understory trees and shrubs. All serviceberries have showy white spring flowers followed by red or black berries in midsummer. In autumn, green summer leaves turn gold and red. Serviceberries tolerate a wide range of soils. Amelanchier is a genus of hardy deciduous shrubs or small trees that include Serviceberry and […] More
Erica is a genus of more than 700 species. Some are prostrate ground covers, some are low-mounding shrubs, and a few are tree-like. Heath is the common name given to most members of the Erica genus. These evergreen plants are native to moors and heaths in Europe and temperate parts of Asia and Africa. Heaths […] More
Calluna–commonly called Scotch heather– is a spreading evergreen shrub covered with pink, white, red flowers from midsummer to late fall. Calluna thrives in full sun and infertile soil making it an easy-to-grow, low-maintenance addition to the garden. Garden varieties of Calluna are numerous, many more than species found in the wild. Varieties range from 3 […] More
Stephen Albert