Do you have a spot in your yard that needs softened with some foliage? Perhaps it’s a spot that needs more than some tall perennials and the woody trunk of a tree. Enter shrubs.
They’re the quiet, often uncelebrated workhorse of many gardens, both professional and commercial. They are a nice balance between short and tall plants. They balance out your yard’s green beauty by meeting in the middle and connecting the eye between beautiful flowers and the bushy tops of trees.
Besides balancing the beauty in your yard, did you know shrubs provide some of the same services as trees? They can help keep homes cool by providing shade, and warmer as they slow autumn and winter winds. They can also provide natural fences, borders and boundaries. (And, if you have small kids or grandkids, they make a great ball-catcher).
Shopping For Shrubs
Color, anyone? When choosing the perfect shrubs for your yard, there a lot of factors to consider that are both above and below the ground. You might want one for a certain color of bloom, like the deep blue of hydrangea or you might want some color, any color, at certain times of the year when there is a lull in the blooms of your perennial bed. Forsythia can brighten your spring, butterfly bushes can attract butterfly beauties in the summer, the fiery leaves of aromatic sumac can liven up your garden in fall and holly and other evergreens can keep part of your yard green throughout winter.
Short or Tall, Shrubs Get it Done. You’ll also want to consider the height and width of your shrubs. Do want them to fit nicely underneath a window or do you want them to become a privacy fence from your neighbors? Some will start off like twigs, but fatten up within a few years, others will keep their shape and won’t spread. Know what you want for your site before you put your shrub in the ground.
Haven’t I Seen Those Roots Before? Lastly, get to know the root systems of your shrubs so that you don’t have any damage to nearby structures or foundations. Some shrub roots can become large and start to spread into house foundation cracks or underground pipes.
Whichever shrubs you choose, get to know whether they like sun or partial shade, dry or damp soil, what extra nutrients they may need and how much pruning work you’ll have to invest in keeping you (as well as them) happy over the years.
Labeling For the Green Shrubby Guy in the Middle. Sturdy plant markers that sit among the delicate stems of perennials help protect plants from being forgotten in the non-growing season and help proudly label plants through all their stages of growth. Trees are usually labeled with plates that are fastened to their trunks at eye-level. Plant markers for shrubs can be shorter or taller depending on your preference. Look for markers that won’t corrode and can resist trampling or shifting, be it from pets, weather or even children at play.
Kincaid Plant Markers creates plant markers for shrubs as well as your other garden plants. We offer different plant marker plate angles and marker styles so you can choose the perfect markers for the shrubs in your backyard. And may those trusty, reliable shrubs be nameless no more.
Using Labels For Hostas Will Help You Get Them Off to a Strong Start | Kincaid Plant Markers
[…] days you can head out to the garden, note where certain hostas are currently sleeping by their plant markers and plan where you might want to divide or move some in the coming […]