I’m partial to woody plants. You know, shrubs and trees. Why? Because they are dependable and often easier to grow than herbaceous plants. At least for me, they tend to live longer – a lot longer. Many shrubs need no care once established. And trees are often carefree (until they are attacked by some exotic pests and have to removed – that’s a drawback.) And shrubs have to be pruned from time to time, at least to remove old, dead growth. I have one shrub on the outer edge of the property, beautybush, Kolkwitzia amabilis, that I never touch.
Designing with shrubs is different from designing, say, a perennial border or a planting of annuals. For the most part, you are planning for leaf color and texture and plant form.
Nearly all shrubs have flowers. Conifers, including gingko, don’t. Gingko? Shrub? Well, one of my beloved shrubs is a dwarf ginkgo that is bushy and without a leader or single main trunk that I help to maintain with an annual trim. This one called ‘Todd’s Broom is shown in fall color, far left. Ginkgo is a conifer like pine trees. I do have some “broadleaf evergreens,” for example lots of boxwood. Buxus ‘Graham Blandy’ is naturally columnar (left). I ended up with many of these plants because a nursery nearby couldn’t sell them (too sophisticated). I bought one and planted it. Then the price dropped, and I bought two more for the same price. After the final price reduction, I bought the rest.
The hardy trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) looks like a broadleaf evergreen, but unlike subtropical and tropical citrus plants, it is deciduous. It is also super hardy. This great shrub (I grow a species from seed and a contorted version, ‘Flying Dragon’) actually bears pretty golf ball-size sunny yellow fuzzy fruits, which unfortunately, are not edible. (left)
We all love oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, and within that species, the variety called ‘Snowflake’ with double, or hose in hose flowers. Florets form within other florets as you can see in the photo (below). The flower heads ripen, white to greenish to pink to pale brown and can be cut and dried to last indoors until the dust becomes unbearable. I have a favorite lilac (‘President Lincoln’) and a favorite old rose (‘Petite de Hollande’). I joined Margaret Roach to chat about some of our favorite shrubs. Check us out at awaytogarden.com.
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