| Off all elements that you can place in your landscape, | | | | But even though you'll want to talk to local gardeners |
| from flowers to plants to trees, the shrub is the | | | | about what would be best for your landscaping plans, |
| most versatile. In this article we present information | | | | you don't need to deal locally to acquire the shrubs. |
| on shrubbery. | | | | (Although it's always nice to support local businesses.) |
| When you consider your landscape, you'll find that | | | | And you will find that there are restrictions - some |
| shrubs are one of the most versatile elements that | | | | states do not allow you to import certain plants - |
| you can employ. Shrubs can serve as a background | | | | Hawaii and Alaska are simply too far away. |
| for your flower or vegetable garden, as dividers | | | | But take a jaunt around the web to see what's out |
| between different areas of the yard, and even as | | | | there. |
| privacy screens (otherwise known as hedges). | | | | For example Direct Gardening offers everything from |
| Shrubs come in a wide variety - over a hundred | | | | bulbs to fruits and nuts to hedges to shrubs to vines |
| different genuses, with a variety of species within | | | | and water plants. Their website has plenty of photos |
| each genus: There are shrubs with brilliant flowers, or | | | | of all their offerings so you can see what everything |
| evergreen shrubs for all seasons. | | | | looks like. (They also sell what they call "Pre-planned |
| What exactly are shrubs? According to the dictionary | | | | gardens" - a mixture of several different but |
| definition: "A woody plant of relatively low height, | | | | complimentary plants that will all grow well in the |
| having several stems arising from the base and | | | | same type of conditions.) |
| lacking a single trunk; a bush." A rose bush is a shrub, | | | | Nature Hills Nursery is another online business that |
| for example, but so is a flowering dogwood. Have | | | | offers a wide variety of starter plants. And their |
| you heard that a dogwood is a tree? Well, some | | | | website has a feature in which you input your |
| dogwoods are shrubs, and some are trees! Just as | | | | zipcode, and it comes back with the "zone" in which |
| some lilacs are shrubs and some are trees. It all | | | | you live - and the flowers, plants, shrubs and trees |
| depends on how tall the individual species within the | | | | that grow best in that zone. |
| genus grows. | | | | Pruning |
| So there's quite a bit to learn about shrubbery before | | | | The major maintenance for shrubs is pruning - you |
| you decide on which ones you'll use in your | | | | simply must prune your shrubs, not only to improve |
| landscaping endeavors. It's always best to consult | | | | their appearance but also to help them grow healthy |
| with your local gardening experts while you're | | | | and strong. Hedge clippers and hand pruners are must |
| working on your design. | | | | have tools, loppers and a small pruning saw will also |
| Website Wandering | | | | come in handy. |