Shrubs
Enjoy Their Beauty and Fragrance

The variety of shrubs is almost limitless in shapes, sizes and textures.

Some mature quickly and improve in appearance each year.

Some display colorful blooms and attractive foliage, some bear fruit in autumn.

Others prune into interesting branch patterns – pleasing and decorative during winter bareness.
Few require taxing care.

If you’re a new homeowner and must limit your budget, you’ll find many kinds well within your reach. If you select them for flower and fruit, you can count on a big show of bright colors each year. If you go at the nursery, you can get young plants at low prices. This will represent a wise choice as they are long-lived, are relatively easy to propagate, and are a longtime investment.

Before you plant any shrub, inquire about the amount of sun or shade it requires, how much moisture it needs, and how large it will be when mature. Check with your nurseryman to find out which kinds will grow best in your area.

==>screen outside living areas for privacy,
==>make a colorful enclosure around a lot,
==>form a decorative background for flowers,
==>soften the architectural lines of a house.

But they should never be overused. Too many of them will give your property a cluttered appearance. And, many of the larger ones will stand beautifully alone as specimen plants.

Proper Placement

Before you start planting, think carefully about the effect you want to get from them.

They should be placed at least half their expected diameter at maturity from a property line so that when they become full size, they will not cross over into a neighbor’s yard.

Don’t place them too closely together unless they are being used as screens or hedges. Close spacing can result in pruning headaches when they reach maturity.

Foundation plantings should not be placed directly beneath the drip line of overhanging eaves.

The centers of foundation plants should be at least 6 inches beyond the drip line.

This will eliminate danger of ice or snow falling from the roof.

This will also place them away from sheltering eaves so they may receive needed rainfall.

A large specimen can be placed close to corner of buildings. Branches will grow against both sides of house without harming appearance of shrub.

Use specimens sparingly on the average size lot. If a specimen fails to grow well, replace it. A poor specimen is worse than none.