Pussy Willow, the Harbinger of Spring

Pussy willows are usually thought of as being wild plants, but don't let that stop you from using them as landscape shrubs. In fact, varieties of pussy willow a bit fancier than the wild type are available at nurseries. For the observant, pussy willows have a prominent place in the cycle of the seasons. When these harbingers of spring unfurl their furry catkins, it means better weather is right around the corner.


Forsythia: Spring Triumphant!

If pussy willow tells us of spring's imminence, then forsythia announces spring's unequivocal arrival. This profile of forsythia discusses the classification, characteristics and uses for this landscape shrub. Also learn about pruning forsythia -- the when, what and why. Among the uses of forsythia is a rather unusual one: by forcing its branches in early spring, you can enjoy its blooms prematurely.


Azaleas and Rhododendrons

Sometimes we speak of "flowering bushes" and "evergreen bushes" as if they were mutually exclusive. But such is not the case. A subset of the evergreen bushes is comprised of those classified as "broadleaf" evergreens, which can not only stay green all year, but also produce blooms. Among which stand a popular choice in landscape shrubs for foundation plantings, the azaleas and rhododendrons.


The Butterfly Garden: Butterfly Bush

Landscape shrubs aren't limited to looking pretty or serving practical functions. Some attract wildlife, the sightings of which can be a great source of enjoyment for nature lovers. Enter butterfly bush, renowned for attracting those dainty winged friends, the butterflies.


Roses

Roses bloom so profusely that non-gardeners just think of them as "flowers," not making the connection that they are, in fact, landscape shrubs. Some rose varieties, however, are climbers, mimicking vines. The climbing roses are excellent choices for covering arbors.

Creating Year-Round Interest in the Yard
As you continue to browse through these articles introducing shrub plants, there's a piece of landscaping advice I'd like you to keep in mind. Namely, when making your selections, aim at creating year-round interest in the yard, rather than simply selecting a handful of varieties that you find to be the prettiest. The rationale behind this landscaping advice is simple: if you make your selections based on beauty alone, you may end up with a great-looking yard in, say, the spring, but a rather plain-looking yard at other points of the year. Instead, try to stretch out your enjoyment over the course of the whole year.


Shrub Plants of Spring: Flowering Quince

While forsythia is one of the earliest bloomers in spring, it is also very common. I don't encounter flowering quince as much, so I make a point of admiring any fine specimens I stumble across. Flowering quince makes my Top 10 list for spring tree and shrub plants, a list headed by dogwood.


Crape Myrtles: Trees in the South, Shrub Plants in the North

Crape myrtles are a popular tree choice for Southerners, with their long blooming period (mid-summer to fall). During the hot months of summer, when the blooms on many specimens have long been exhausted, crape myrtles continue to color the landscape. Northerners can sometimes get away with treating them as shrub plants that die back in winter but come back in spring. In the latter case, their size will be limited (perhaps 4 feet tall), but you still get to enjoy their fantastic floral clusters!


Shrub Plants for Fall Foliage: Oakleaf Hydrangea

Spring and summer may come to mind at first when considering uses for shrub plants, but don't forget autumn. Oakleaf hydrangea is just one of the fall foliage standouts considered in this article.


Sumac for Fall Foliage Splendor

Like pussy willow, sumac is known best in the wild. But sumac's potential as a shrub plant for the yard is underrated. Don't believe it? If you live in the Eastern U.S. or Canada, keep your eyes peeled this fall for the first wave of stunning foliage color. Most likely, that color is coming from sumac.


Shrub Plants for Winter Cheer: Red Osier Dogwood

Still more neglected than the use of shrub plants in autumn is their use in winter. Yet Northerners perhaps never have a greater need for their beauty than in winter, when the barrenness of the yard threatens depression. The information in this article pertains to shrub plants that bring cheer to the winter yard, including, among many other varieties, red osier dogwood.


American Holly

Speaking of winter and shrub plants, American holly is certainly a classic component of the winter yard. My article on American holly discusses not only this evergreen's use as a shrub plant to bring winter joy, but also the reason why we have traditionally attached so much sentimental value to holly.


Winterberry Holly

Winterberry is a very different holly from American holly. Valued mainly for the brilliance of its berry clusters (a picture is provided in the article), winterberry holly loses its leaves in winter. It's just as well: who'd want leaves obscuring these berries?


English Boxwood Shrubs

English boxwood is another evergreen that will bring life to the winter landscape, although, in colder climes, the foliage may turn a bronzy color. It is also a classic plant for formal landscape design.


Yews

But I can't conclude a series on shrubs for winter interest -- or, for that matter, an introduction to shrub plants in general -- without including at least one needle-bearing evergreen. Yews are among the most popular shrub plants in this category, due to their versatility.