Fill the Gaps in the Flower Garden with Shrubs
In other articles we addressed trees as a source of shade for the shade garden. Another type of plant that can add value to the flower garden are shrubs. Shrubs are valuable to the flower gardener because they bridge the gap between trees and flowers. As do trees, they serve as boundary markers, soften the lines of buildings, and hide unsightly views. Shrubs can be used to mark off your individual garden rooms and act as a decorative background for flower beds or whatever you may wish to showcase within a garden room.
Shrubs can also perform more than one function. Like flowers, they add character and shape to the garden, blooming forth with colorful blossoms and attracting birds with their berries. Think about adding shrubs whose foliage looks just as lovely after the blooms are gone. You may wish to visit your local nursery and see what the shrubbery looks like sans flowers. In a later article, we will highlight a few of the flowering shrubs.
One big item in their favor is that they mature rapidly, yet can remain as hardy and long-lived as trees. In general, trees and shrubs are planted and cared for in the same way, the difference between them being chiefly one of height. One definition of the difference, however, is that while a tree has only one trunk, a shrub has several stems or trunks.
Not so long ago the number of reliable shrubs was quite limited, but today the many new hybrids have lengthened the list and the gardener’s choice is almost endless. No matter the region, it is now possible to plant shrubs that will satisfy color needs, bloom at various seasons, cover bare spots where grass won’t grow, or grow in such profusion and depth that screening purposes are served. As such, shrubs can fill the gaps within your flower garden and certainly are an item to be considered for inclusion.