Bush ideas for landscaping
15 Low-Maintenance Shrubs - This Old House
Every garden and yard should include shrubs. They are the backbone of the landscape, the foundation of garden design. Some dazzle with flowers, colorful leaves, or berries; others fill summer evenings with a heavenly scent. The only real trick to growing shrubs is picking the right ones from among the many hundreds available. That’s where our selection comes in.
These 15 low maintenance shrubs for landscaping are all attractive, reliable, trouble-free plants. None have serious pest problems, and they don’t require constant pruning or cleanup.
15 Best Low Maintenance Shrubs1. Oakleaf Hydrangea iStockNative to Georgia, Florida and Mississippi
Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a shrub for all seasons, with large, showy cone-shaped flower clusters in early summer, outstanding fall color and handsome cinnamon-colored, flaking bark in winter. This widely adapted plant grows upright from 4 to 6 feet high with an equal or greater spread. Plant this graceful shrub in groups or intermingled with other shrubs in an informal setting. Give it moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Deciduous, hardy to -20°.
Award-Winner in the Rocky Mountain and Plains States
Fountain butterfly bush (Buddleia alternifolia) is a spring bloomer with lilac flower clusters along gracefully arching stems. The billowy plant can grow to 10 feet high and wide. Use the shrub as an accent plant or in a mixed shrub border. It prefers a sunny location in any well-drained soil and can tolerate drought. It dies back to the ground in the coldest reaches of its adapted area, but re-sprouts from the base and blooms on new wood. Deciduous, hardy from -20° to -30°.
3. Korean Spice Viburnum Alamy
Good Choice for the Great Plains, Northwest and Midwest
Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) has intensely fragrant white flowers in spring that open from pink buds; blue-black fruit follows in early summer.
The shrub reaches 4 to 8 feet high with upright, spreading branches that extend to 8 feet wide. Use this dense, rounded shrub as a foundation plant or locate it near paths and entryways to enjoy its intoxicating fragrance. Provide well-drained, slightly acid soil in full sun to partial shade. Deciduous, hardy to -20°°.
At Home in California and Florida
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), with unbranched vertical stems up to 7 feet tall, has a feathery texture, creamy-white summer flowers, scarlet fall fruit and brightly colored foliage throughout the year. The compact leafy shrub shown right, called 'Nana' or 'Nana Purpurea,' is dome-shaped and 1 to 2 feet tall. Depending on variety, use heavenly bamboo as a ground cover, accent plant or in mixed plantings. The shrub adapts to a wide range of conditions but prefers moist soil in full sun (afternoon shade in the hottest areas). Evergreen to 10°, hardy to -10°.
Grows Best in Southern Gardens
Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is a neat plant with subtle beauty in its arching, tiered branches and spidery white or pink spring flowers. Depending on variety, it grows 3 to 10 feet tall and just as wide. The variety 'Rubrum' ('Razzleberri'), shown, has purplish leaves and bright rosy-pink flowers. Plant loropetalum in foregrounds and woodland gardens. Provide well-drained, nonalkaline soil and ample moisture. It prefers full sun in foggy coastal areas and partial shade inland. Evergreen, hardy 0° to 10°.
6. Bottlebrush BuckeyeiStockBest in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast
Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) stands out for its large white summer flower spikes and bright-yellow fall color. This deer-resistant buckeye, which spreads by suckers, needs plenty of room to grow; it reaches about 12 feet tall with an equal or greater spread.
It's a good choice for massing or shrub borders, and it makes a nice specimen plant. Provide moist, well-drained soil in full sun or moderate shade. Deciduous, hardy to -30°.
Native to Southern Canada and the Eastern U.S.
Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a tough, 3- to 5-foot-tall shrub with small, white or pinkish flowers followed by shiny, black 1/2-inch fruits. Fall color is bright red-purple and lasts for several weeks. Use this somewhat leggy shrub as a filler or in background plantings. This widely adapted plant tolerates extreme cold, a variety of soils and exposures, and thrives on much or little water. Deciduous, hardy to -40°.
8. Summersweet AlamyGood for the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest
Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), one of the few summer-blooming shrubs that flower in the shade, is prized for its fragrant white or pink flowers.
Handsome dark-green leaves turn pale yellow to golden in fall. The plant typically grows 6 to 8 feet tall and spreads slowly by suckers to form dense clumps. The dwarf, white-flowered variety 'Hummingbird,' shown left with pink-flowered 'Ruby Spice,' grows 3 to 4 feet tall with an equal spread. Plant summersweet in borders and shade gardens or use 'Hummingbird' as a ground cover. It's a good plant for heavy shade and wet areas in acid soil, and it withstands coastal spray. Deciduous, -40°.
Right for the Northwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast
'Pallida' Chinese witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis 'Pallida,' also called H. intermedia 'Pallida') is valued for vivid fall foliage and ribbonlike fragrant, sulfur-yellow flowers that bloom on bare stems February through March. It's a broad, spreading shrub, 8 to 10 feet wide or more. This plant makes a striking accent, especially in a woodland setting.
Its bright flowers contrast nicely with evergreens or a solid backdrop of brick or stone. Plant it in partial shade and slightly acid soil high in organic content. Deciduous, hardy to -20°.
Maine to Iowa, South to Florida and Louisiana
'Annabelle' smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle') produces enormous, foot-wide clusters of white flowers on a plant about 4 feet high and wide. Flowers last for up to two months during summer; if spent flowers are removed it often reblooms. This shrub is perfect in groupings and does best in moist, rich, well-drained soil in light to moderate shade. If cut back to the ground in autumn, it flowers on new wood the following summer. Deciduous, hardy to -30°.
11. India HawthornAlamyA Favorite in the South and California
India hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica) is a compact, rounded shrub with glossy, leathery leaves and a profusion of flowers ranging in color from white to pink; they bloom from late fall or midwinter to late spring.
The plant grows 3 to 4 feet high and slightly wider. It does best in average, well-drained soil in full sun, though it tolerates drought and salt spray in coastal regions. Group plants for a low divider, informal screen or high ground cover. Choose from several named varieties. Evergreen, hardy to 10°.
A “Gem” for West Coast Gardeners
'Wynyabbie Gem' westringia (Westringia fruticosa 'Wynyabbie Gem') withstands salt-laden coastal wind and resists drought. The bushy shrub, to 4 feet tall and wide, has narrow, silky gray-green leaves and produces clusters of mauve-pink flowers throughout the year. Use it in mixed plantings, or as a low screen or feature plant. It prefers light, well-drained soil and full sun to light shade. Evergreen, hardy to 25°.
13. Burkwood ViburnumAlamyExcellent Choice for the Midwest and South
Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum burkwoodii) grows 6 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide.
In late winter to early spring, spicy-scented white flowers open from dense, 4-inch snowball-shaped clusters of pink buds. Dark-green lustrous leaves turn purplish red in cold weather. Plant this shrub in well-drained, slightly acid soil. It tolerates some drought once established. Use the shrub as an informal screen or grouped in a mixed shrub border with evergreens. Partially evergreen, hardy to -20°.
Native to the Southwest and Northern Mexico
Texas ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens) is naturally adapted to desert heat, wind and drought. The shrub reaches 5 to 8 feet high and 3 to 5 feet wide. In hot weather, the silvery or green foliage (as on 'Green Cloud,' shown) is accented with purple bell-shaped flowers. Use this shrub in rock gardens, on slopes or as a screen. It grows best in full sun and needs no supplemental water. Evergreen to partially deciduous, hardy to 5°.
15.
Japanese Barberry Alamy Tops in the Midwest, Northeast, Great Plains and Rockies
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is rugged yet graceful, with arching, spiny branches. Plants reach 4 to 6 feet tall with equal spread. Small, deep-green leaves turn yellow, orange and red in fall. Beadlike red berries brighten the yard in winter. Several striking varieties are available, including 'Aurea', with bright golden foliage. Use it in informal hedges, barriers and borders, or individually as accents. It tolerates climate and soil extremes, and needs full sun for most colorful foliage, but can take light shade. Deciduous, hardy to -30°.
How Do I Choose a Landscaping Shrub?Choose shrubs that maintain dense foliage from top to bottom and consider what is available in your region. Plant them close enough so the leaves of adjacent plants will overlap slightly at maturity. You can use them to help you screen unwanted sights.
Tips for Growing and Planting Your Shrubs
A yard without shrubs is like a kitchen without appliances. Here’s what these hardworking plants can do for your yard:
- Unify the space. Place shrubs as intermediaries to create a smooth transition from large elements, such as the house and trees, to low-lying elements, including lawn and flowers.
- Direct traffic. Define open space and direct people and pets where you want them by planting shrubs in key positions, such as near property lines and pathways.
- Act as a ground cover. Mass low-growing shrubs, like dwarf summersweet, to create a ground cover that’s more interesting and less work than lawn.
- Save space. When space is tight and a tree won’t fit, create a focal point with a single showy shrub, such as fountain butterfly bush.
- Provide long-lasting interest. Choose shrubs that look attractive for more than one season, such as oakleaf hydrangea, with its summer flowers, fall color, and handsome bark.
Where to Find It
For additional shrub recommendations and plant sources for your region, consult the organizations listed below, along with your local extension service, nurseries, and botanic gardens.
Regional plant-awards programs and contacts for award-winning plants:
Cary Awards
Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Worcester County Horticultural Society
Box 598
Boylston, MA 01505-0598
www.towerhillbg.org
508-869-6111
Florida Plants of the Year
Florida Nurserymen and Gardeners Association
1533 Park Center Dr.
Orlando, FL 32835
www.fngla.org
401-295-7994
Gold Medal Plant Award
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society,
100 N. 20th St., 5th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1495
www.phsonline.org/for-gardeners
215-988-8800
Gold Medal Winners
Georgia Plants Selection Committee
Extension Horticulture
University of Georgia
224 Hoke Smith Building
Athens, GA 30602
www.
ces.uga.edu
706-542-2861
Great Plants for the Great Plains
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
University of Nebraska
Box 830715
Lincoln, NE 68583-0715
www.arboretum.unl.edu
402-472-2971
Oklahoma Proven Plant Selections
Oklahoma State University
360 Agricultural Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
www.hortla.okstate.edu
405-744-6460
Plant Select
Denver Botanic Gardens
909 York St.
Denver, CO 80206
www.botanicgardens.org
303-370-8054
Texas Superstars
Texas A&M University
Extension Horticulture
Forestry Blvd.
Room 225
College Station, TX 77843
11 Best Landscaping Shrubs to Grow in Your Yard
By
David Beaulieu
David Beaulieu
David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. He was in the nursery business for over a decade, working with a large variety of plants.
David has been interviewed by numerous newspapers and national U.S. magazines, such as Woman's World and American Way.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 03/10/22
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of the role that shrubs play in home landscaping. Along with trees, shrubs are considered the "bones" of the landscape because they provide structure.
But shrubs are more versatile than trees and can be planted in more areas. They are also not as difficult to transplant, should you change your mind at some point regarding just what the structure of your yard should be.
The problem is, with the great number of selections available, beginners often need help choosing from among all of the different shrub varieties. For starters, you can narrow your options by focusing on easy-to-grow shrubs that can reliably thrive in your climate. All of the plants listed here are cold-hardy to at least USDA zone 5.
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Pink Flowering Almond (Prunus glandulosa)
znm / Getty ImagesThe pink flowering almond is a beautiful option, but the argument against this shrub is that it is a one-hit-wonder, giving you color only in spring.
Once its spring flowers drop off, the bush has little to offer. But its fundamental benefits may outweigh this drawback: It grows quickly; it holds up well during dry periods; and it puts on a spectacular floral display in spring. - USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained soil
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Stewartstonian Azalea (Rhododendron x Gable 'Stewartstonian')
Captain-tucker / Wikimedia Commons / CC By 3.0
If you'd prefer a shrub that flowers more regularly, consider the red azalea bush known as the 'Stewartstonian'. Because this bush is an evergreen, it has something to offer (namely, foliage) even outside of its prime-time periods. It is at its best both in spring, when it flowers and in fall, when its leaves turn reddish.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8
- Sun Exposure: Part shade
- Soil Needs: Fertile, evenly moist, well-drained soil
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North Pole Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Art Boe')
DEA/RANDOM / De Agostini Picture Library / Getty Images
The North Pole arborvitae is both drought-tolerant and fast-growing, which adds to its appeal.
This is a tough, evergreen shrub that holds up well to road salt and dry conditions. It is not even especially bothered by poor soil. Plant several in a row if you desire a privacy screen. - USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part sun
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, regularly watered soil
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Common Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Some shrubs have one special quality that sets them apart. They may not give you multi-season interest, but this special quality makes them must-haves. One such plant is the common lilac bush. What makes it so special? The smell given off by its blooms is the closest thing to a superpower that you will find in the plant world. If fragrant flowers are not enough to convince you to grow a bush that offers nothing outside of spring, here is another selling point for the plant: The flowers that it puts out in spring are pleasing to the eye, as well.
- USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 7
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained, loamy soil
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Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Masahiro Nakano / a.collectionRF / amana images / Getty Images
Oakleaf hydrangea may be the ultimate four-season shrub. It is at its peak in fall, when it gives even the best of the fall-foliage trees a run for their money. It also bears large flower heads in summer. Even during the winter and spring, it is not without interest, due to its attractive peeling bark.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
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Rose Bushes
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
There are all sorts of ways to categorize the different varieties of shrubs.
The most basic groupings are: - The deciduous shrubs, which are known for their flowers.
- The evergreen shrubs (note that some of these bear pretty flowers, too).
Among the best deciduous shrubs are the various types of rose bushes. The rose has been a favorite for centuries. Like lilac shrubs, rose flowers often combine good looks with a great smell. The only thing that has kept even more gardeners from growing this popular shrub is the belief that roses are hard to grow. If this has stopped you from growing rose bushes, rest assured that some types of roses that are easy to grow are now widely available at nurseries.
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 11, depending on type
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, slightly acidic soil
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King's Gold, Cripps, and Gold Mops (Chamaecyparis pisifera)
robcocquyt / Getty ImagesThe evergreen group of shrubs is actually divided into two sub-groups:
- The needled evergreens.
- The broadleaf evergreens.
An interesting fact about evergreens is that their leaves are not always green in color. Chances are that you have seen King's Gold, Cripps, Gold Mops, or similar shrubs with golden foliage on other people's properties. If you are a beginner at gardening, you may not have known the name of what you were seeing, but they are very popular. And for good reason, as their golden foliage really catches the eye. This color also combines well with shrubs of just about any other color, including Blue Star juniper (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star') and red barberry shrubs (Berberis thunbergii) such as 'Crimson Pygmy'.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 8
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Clay or silty or loamy well-drained soil
- The needled evergreens.
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Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum var. tomentosum 'Mariesii')
Viktor Wallon-Hars / Getty ImagesClassifying shrubs as deciduous or evergreen is not the only way to group them.
Another characterization is based on what conditions the plants need: sun or shade. A standout shrub for a sunny spot is the doublefile viburnum. Its name says it all: The flowers line up in two rows along the branches. The resulting look is not only unusual, it's also quite showy. - USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 8
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Well-drained, loamy, slightly acidic soil
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Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Paul Tomlins/Corbis Documentary/Getty ImagesThere are also shrubs meant to be grown in shady areas. One of the best is mountain laurel. Mountain laurel is another of the broadleaf evergreens, like rhododendrons and some kinds of azaleas.
- USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9
- Sun Exposure: Part shade
- Soil Needs: Cool, rich, well-drained, acidic soil
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Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus alba)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Many shrubs are grown for their flowers, others for their foliage, and still others for multiple features.
Red-twig dogwood is a bit different. As its common name suggests, it is valued for the color of its bark. As a bonus, the 'Elegantissima' cultivar sports bicolored leaves (green with white edges). This shrub has the most to contribute to the landscape in late winter, when its bark color is at its brightest, and when most other plants in the landscape are lacking in color. - USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Rich, fertile, moist soil
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Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Another possible way to organize the varieties of landscaping shrubs is to focus on the time of bloom and/or which season they are valued for. In addition to winter, another challenging time of year in the landscape is late summer. Why? Because it is an in-between season. That is, most of the flowering shrubs are already finished blooming, yet it is too early for the autumn colors displayed by the top shrubs for fall foliage.
You need something in late summer to bridge the gap. Two of your best choices actually belong to the same genus, despite being very different-looking plants: - Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus).
- Hardy hibiscus (Hibiscus moscheutos).
Rose of Sharon is the taller of the two. In fact, many mistakenly call it a "tree." By contrast, H. moscheutos is barely a shrub. It dies back to ground level in winter, the way your perennials do. And it takes its sweet time about popping back up out of the ground again in spring. Many beginners panic and think it is dead, but they do not need to worry: New shoots will eventually appear.
Both shrubs are late-summer bloomers that help you distribute color in your landscape throughout the year
- USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Needs: Rich soil
10 simple ideas that will turn your garden into a masterpiece of landscape design
A wonderful collection of various conifers can become a hallmark of your garden.
Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
To renew your garden, you don't have to make drastic changes, you can get by with a little bloodshed - correctly place accents that emphasize the uniqueness and uniqueness of your site. Such an important mission can be entrusted to garden structures, original lamps, unusual garden furniture, thoughtful group plantings, or even separate corners like a rock garden or a moss garden. And of course -
spectacular plants: flowering perennials, trees with an unusual crown shape and bright shrubs.
On the "brutal" section of the garden, decorated with stones, bright flowers are an effective accent. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
The role of accents is not only to draw attention to the garden. Bright details can also solve other important problems of site design: zoning the space, adding color nuances, emphasizing the originality of the relief and interesting architectural solutions.
And successfully mask the flaws!
Green garden sculptures are the result of years of hard work. But if you're patient enough, it's worth a try! Photo: ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
Making garden accents is an incredibly fun game that allows you to express your individuality and realize your creative fantasies.
Garden accents should be clearly visible and not necessarily proportionate to the area being decorated. But do not get carried away by their number.
The main advantage of accents is variety: you can change them and arrange them in new ways. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru
Remember, the main thing is a good idea; of course, “inventing” it is more difficult than following the canons, but in this case, you create the canons! It’s easy to feel “your theme”: we all subconsciously gravitate towards certain “landscapes”, you just need to catch your own mood and “decorate” it with plants and objects.
When placing accents in the garden, follow the rule: they will be more appropriate where they are most visible.
Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
No matter how large or small the site should be, there should not be more than four or five, but preferably one or three accents. Moreover, the size of these elements should not be proportional to the size of the plot: it is more appropriate to create a large accent on a very small area, otherwise the garden will look “flat”. And in the overwhelming majority of cases, the accent is quite noticeable, and not a miniature detail. Place the accent where it will stand out. For example, against the background of a gazebo or flower garden, on the border of the garden area or on the front lawn, which is visible from all points of the garden.
Photo: ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
Exhibits of the garden "opening day" - mosses and succulents. Enclose them in beautiful frames, and they will resemble the works of great painters. Photo: ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
There are three main principles for this: similarity, contrast and expressiveness.
For example, using similarity, you can make a beautiful bend of the path more expressive by duplicating it with a chain of garden lamps. Or emphasize the round shape of the flower garden by including a spherical thuja in addition to flowers. As for the contrast, shade the textured, “monumental” plant with plantings of graceful cereals. Well, an expressive, original large container with flowers will emphasize any part of the garden.
Stylistic dominants are very different. The main thing is to stick to one direction.
A mirror imitating a small window breaks through the plane of the wall, complicating the space. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
Variants of plant accents
1. Single plant
The design of the garden is favorably emphasized by a beautiful conifer, a curly trimmed shrub, an interestingly shaped tree - weeping birch or goat willow. Even the common castor bean, which is often called the baobab near Moscow, is suitable for this role.
Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
Any plant is suitable for the role of an accent, if it differs in originality - it has a non-standard crown shape, spectacular shape or color of the leaves. Sometimes there are unexpected, even curious options - for example, an ordinary plantain, resembling a hosta in size, can act as an accent if you choose the right place for it.
Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
2. Group plantings
Nearly black pansy flower bed with mirror ball companion; groundcover rose bush with bright red flowers against the background of a stone obelisk... All these compositions can make a garden at least unusual. Another option: create a flower bed-basket of green-flowered gladioli or a "flower garden" where lettuces or ornamental cabbage live. To draw attention to the flower arrangement, tie it with a satin ribbon.
Plants with colorful foliage can be used as accents. Or large clay pots.
In this case, they are an integral part of a mini-waterfall. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
An accent in the form of a garden of mosses or stones, a small rock garden will not go unnoticed.
3. Garden collection
Enthusiastic flower growers who do not recognize sculptures or figurines on their plot should create a “fashion collection”. Choose what you like: alpine plants, miniature conifers, giant dahlias or rare varieties of tulips, and form spectacular flower beds out of them. This will be your main theme in the garden.
Another option is to dedicate your garden to a particular plant. For example, roses: cover the gazebo and garden mesh screen with climbing roses, plant miniature and ground cover varieties on the alpine hill, and decorate the front part of the plot with bush ones. An appropriate accent for the rock garden will be a magnificent standard rose, the tenderness of which will be shaded by a clearing of white gravel.
The role of sculptures can be played by individual trees and shrubs.
Any plant that has a spectacular crown, color or shape of leaves and flowers can become a real decoration of your garden. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
7 more ideas for garden accents
- Beautiful large stones, boulders are best - a stylish accent, especially if they have an interesting shape and unusual color. Such "cobblestones" can be varnished to create a "wet" effect, or they can be painted and painted.
- The accent can be an originally designed withered tree or an unusual man-made structure - for example, a table-well.
- A decorative gate can be crafted from an old sewing machine trellis.
- Floral sundial is a fashionable novelty that will be out of competition.
- A giant container in the form of an ordinary terracotta pot impresses with a combination of a familiar shape but an unusual size.
- An example of a small accent is a beautiful bird feeder.
- From sea pebbles you can build small three-dimensional sculptures: an apple, a fungus and even a “toy” castle – you will get a real work of art!
A pyramid of carefully stacked stones is a frequent attribute of rocky beaches. In the garden, this element will also be appropriate. Photo: living4media/Fotodom.ru; ShutterStock/Fotodom.ru
Any woman knows how important the right jewelry is for a particular outfit. They can make a little black dress (and by extension you) irresistible or kill all its elegance. The role of accents in your garden is also great: a plastic gnome paired with a frog in front of a luxurious flower bed will destroy all botanical delights and carefully selected colors. If you love your garden, treat it with respect - emphasize the results of your work with beautiful and original accents. There are many possibilities and techniques for this, choose the most suitable for you.
Svetlana Marinicheva
Editor-in-Chief of the magazine “My Beautiful Garden”
Prepared by
Olga Voronova
beautiful annuals and perennials, popular, blooming all summer
Landscaping is a whole science that allows you to create a beautiful and unique space .
It allows you to transform and revitalize any area, give it a twist and make it comfortable for rest and work.
Flowers create a unique atmosphere in the garden, their beauty can be admired for a very long time.
Role of flowers in landscape design
Content
- The role of colors in landscape design
- The main qualities of colors
- Perennial flowers
- ONE COMPLESS
- VIDS
- CURSED types
Garden flowers are an essential element of landscape design. They can play a major role in creating a beautiful landscape, or they can only complement compositions of trees and shrubs, herbaceous plants, or elements of inanimate nature (stones, ponds, fountains).
They create great compositions.
There are garden designs where most of the space is just lawn grasses and trees, but without garden flowers they will not be as attractive and perfect. After all, it is the flowers that create the necessary accents, and at the same time act as a link between other elements of the landscape. The variety of compositions that can be created using different types of flowers is impressive.
If you choose the right crops, then taking care of them will not take much time and effort.
In order to organize an original landscape in their summer cottage, or the territory adjacent to the house, some people themselves search on the Internet or printed publications for different garden flowers with a name and with a photo, their descriptions and various combinations, some resort to the help of a designer or landscaper. One way or another, before starting work on a landscaping project, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the basic classification of flowering plants, which is given below.
Flowers are suitable for landscape design in any area.
The main qualities of flowers
All garden flowers differ from each other in terms of the period for which they can grow in one area without transplantation - annual and perennial, as well as in terms of flowering - in some it takes a few days, others bloom from early spring and all summer. In addition, there is a huge variety of colors in shape, size and environmental requirements. Below is a more detailed classification.
Perennial flowers
When choosing perennial flowers for your garden, you should understand that they will grow in this place for several years, that is, you need to immediately choose the best place. They are more unpretentious and frost-resistant compared to annuals and less demanding on the soil due to a well-developed root system.
They are undemanding, do not need any special care.
Important: do not think that it is enough to plant a perennial flower for a garden once and forget about it.
It will be necessary to treat pests, fertilize the soil, and sometimes treat diseases.
Among the perennial flowers for the garden, there are several main groups according to the type of reproduction: bulbous (tulips, gladiolus), rhizomatous (irises), tuberous (dahlias), seed (marigolds), bulbous (colchicum, crocus). Some of them in the middle lane need to be dug up for the winter, and planted again in the spring, for example, dahlia tubers or gladiolus bulbs. However, in the southern regions they overwinter in the soil without problems.
This plant is one of the most showy and long-blooming flowers grown in the garden.
Annual flowers
Ornamental annual plants are planted in spring or early summer, delight with their beauty until autumn, and then wither and die. Due to this, it is possible to change the appearance of the cottage or garden plot every year. As a rule, they develop quickly and bloom magnificently. Annual flowers can be planted by seedlings and seeds.
Some of them in one season manage to grow to an impressive size (sunflower, castor bean), others - only a dozen or two centimeters from the ground (primrose, calendula).
Calendula is an unpretentious flower, which is very rare for ornamental plants.
Most annuals do not have a strong root system, making them easier to drown out by weeds. Therefore, they need regular weeding. However, some large specimens can grow in such a way that they themselves drown out all weed aggressors (cochia, lavatera, sweet peas).
Lavatera is a perennial plant with a wide color palette.
Additional information! Annuals are good because they help to “close voids”, i.e. they can be planted after harvesting certain early crops (spring bulbs or greens) in their place so that the land is not empty. They will have enough time to grow and bloom in a season.
All-summer-blooming species
There are plant species that bloom almost the entire summer season.
Of the annual plants, these are marigolds, nasturtium, petunia, calendula, kosmeya, lavater. It is these flowers that are often used to create urban flower beds in public places, landscaping landscape gardening areas. In gardens, they are recommended to be placed in the most visible areas.
Delightful petunias delight the eye, wherever they grow: in the garden, in the country house, or in the yard.
As for perennials, astilba, heliopsis, perennial carnation, mallow, bluebell, phlox will delight with their colors all summer long. The main thing is not to forget to periodically remove weeds that interfere with them and treat them from pests. Of the annual plants, marigolds, salvia, calendula, ageratum and others have the longest flowering period.
Astilba is one of the most attractive ornamental perennials suitable for shade cultivation.
Unpretentious species
Often people who live in the city but come to their dacha only once a week ask themselves the question: “Which flowers are the most unpretentious to choose for our garden?”.
In fact, there are a great many such flowers, it all depends on the preferences of the owners. For example, the May lily of the valley, does not require care as such, almost completely and in the spring it pleases with its delicate flowers. If you want the flowering to be long - marigolds, phloxes, calendula, nasturtium.
Even a beginner can grow nasturtium.
Daisies require good soil and light, and if such a place is chosen, they will bloom all summer without much trouble. Gorgeous lush astilba, which is undemanding to lighting and even feels great in the shade of conifers. A perennial cornflower can grow and bloom in almost any conditions and with any companions. Lupine is not far behind - one of the favorite garden flowers of many summer residents. Delicate stock roses and bright Jerusalem artichokes can also do without the intervention of gardeners for a long time.
Stem rose is a tall ornamental plant with massive and bright flowers.
Bush varieties
The fashionable trend of recent years are bush varieties of both perennials and annuals.
After all, they look stylish and beautiful not only in traditional flower beds, but also in separate islands; as living borders and hedges; in mixborders with conifers. They allow you to place the necessary accents and zone the territory, as well as give structure to the garden and highlight levels in height.
Peonies are perennial bush flowers that bloom with voluminous buds, for which they are valued by many gardeners.
Very spectacular and beautiful spray peonies, carnations, hydrangea, phlox. You can not ignore the rose - the queen of flowers. There is an opinion that it is very difficult to care for her. But in fact, there are varieties that require a minimum of care, especially park varieties.
Phloxes are excellent plants for flowerbeds, rock gardens, rockeries, and tall varieties look good in gardens.
Tall species
Tall species of garden flowers are especially popular in garden design. After all, they not only decorate the site, but also allow you to cover up unseemly places (sheds, outbuildings) or act as boundaries when zoning the area, or even a kind of “screen” between neighboring plots.
The most common of the tall flowers are lupine, delphinium, mallow, Aflatun and giant onions, meadowsweet, goldenrod, loosestrife.
Delphinium is an unusual flower from the buttercup family, which is a favorite of gardeners.
There are also giant plants that can flourish in just one summer - castor bean, cochia, amaranth, lavatera, kosmeya. Most of the above species need fertile soil and abundant watering, and in gratitude, with good care, they grow up to two or even more meters in height.
Amaranth is valued by gardeners for its unpretentious nature, fast growth and attractive appearance.
Examples of good choices for the garden
Which types and varieties of flowers to choose for planting in the garden? The answer depends on many factors. What are the preferences of the owner, is there a possibility of regular care, what are the lighting and humidity conditions on the site, and many others. But there are general guidelines that will help you make the right choice.
Bright flower beds will delight with their charming blooms.
Irrespective of the soil on the site, you can plant, for example, small plants in pots, containers or hanging baskets, fastening them to the walls of the house or on the fence. These can be petunias, climbing morning glory or miniature marigolds. The unpretentious perennials listed above are also quite suitable for almost everyone. Petunias, zinnias, dahlias and gladioli are popular and appropriate in any garden. Bright poppies and sunflowers attract the eyes of the most fastidious flower growers. Roses will not leave anyone indifferent.
Poppies in the garden create spectacular bright compositions.
If you need to green a gazebo, terrace walls or a fence, climbing plants are suitable - clematis, sweet peas, decorative hops. Do not neglect the planting of lawn grass. It will provide juicy greenery throughout the warm season and will be in perfect harmony with flower beds and tree and shrub species.
The flowers of this species of plants perfectly fill the lawn of the house.
Rules for composing compositions for flower beds - photos of successful examples
When composing compositions for flower beds, you should follow certain rules:
