Wildflower Plants

Shrubs – more info

Shrubs are the backbone of any garden, providing structure in borders, groundcover, winter interest and hedges.

The range is vast with things suitable for small gardens, or containers, and larger varieties that will make specimen plants.

Some shrubs are grown for their foliage, others have flowers with winter-flowering shrubs among the most delightful, while climbers are useful for covering fences and walls.

Which shrubs grow fastest?

The rate of growth is affected by whether the shrub is growing in the conditions that it likes – the right soil type, correct aspect and climate.

Among quick-growing shrubs are viburnum, choisya and photinia.

Which shrubs don’t need pruning?

While all shrubs may need to be pruned if they outgrow their allotted space and to remove dead or damaged branches, there are some that don’t need regular pruning. These include mahonia, Nandina domestica, holly and euonymus.

Which shrubs are easiest to maintain?

Most shrubs benefit from a little attention, such as pruning out diseased or damaged branches and adding mulch or organic matter in spring or autumn.

Some require little more than that, and among the easiest are berberis, holly, forsythia, elaeagnus, Aucuba japonica and mahonia.