There’s something blasé about shrubs. Trees, ground covers, vines-their names sound a bit more sophisticated, but shrubs?

Far too often we take for granted the year-round color, texture, and appeal that shrubs add to the landscape.

What are shrubs? Generally defined as long-lived woody plants, distinct from trees by being under 10-15 ft tall and are clothed with leaves down to the ground instead of having a bare trunk covered with leaves, shrubs can range from subshrubs to large woody plants that can be pruned either as trees or shrubs.

Shrubs serve many purposes; in fact, their use is restricted only by imagination.

Gardeners with small spaces will find that shrubs can provide height where trees would simply be too large. In fact, several shrubs can be used as small or trees or clumps of trees. Shrubs are essential elements in an attractive, well-designed landscape, providing form, structure, and seasonal interest. So take good care of these medium-size landscape plants: They play a grand-size role in your backyard.

An increasing number of shrubs are available with multiple seasons of interest and more assets than just solid evergreen foliage or a fleeting show of pretty flowers. Consider some of the members of this class of plants:

Alpine Currant The Alpine Currant, Ribes alpinum, is a very hardy hedge plant that can be kept trimmed to any desired height from 18 inches to 4 feet. The abundant green, glossy foliage forms a dense hedge. Grows well in sun or shade and is rarely bothered by insec… Read More	Bluebeard – Blue Mist The Bluebeard ‘Blue Mist’, Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Blue Mist’, also known as Bluebeard and Blue-Mist Spirea,is an attractive compact, mounding shrub with fragrant powder blue blooms. It has a long blooming season.This plant creates a wonderful bo… Read More
Bluebeard – Dark Knight The Bluebeard ‘Dark Knight’, Caryopteris x clandonensis ‘Dark Knight’, is a mounding deciduous broadleaf shrub. It is drought tolerant. It displays compact, green leaves. Spectacular deep blue flowers appear in mid-summer. Cut back after bloom for re… Read More	Butterfly Bush – Black Knight The Butterfly Bush ‘Black Knight’, Buddleia ‘Black Knight’, is a vigorous growing shrub that boasts dark purple flower from mid-summer and is a butterfly magnet. This bush flowers summer and fall and is easy to grow. With a name like Butterfly Bush y… Read More
Butterfly Bush – Honeycomb The Butterfly Bush ‘Honeycomb’, Buddleia ‘Honeycomb’, is a beautiful yellowing flowering variety of butterfly bush. This bush flowers summer and fall and is easy to grow. With a name like Butterfly Bush you might expect a plant to be attractive to bu… Read More	Butterfly Bush – Pink Delight The Butterfly Bush ‘Pink Delight’, Buddleia ‘Pink Delight’, has fragrant, deep pink flowers on a compact growing butterfly bush. The leaves are grayish green to add interest. It is a vigorous growing shrub that boasts deep pink flowers from mid-summe… Read More
Butterfly Bush – Royal Red The Butterfly Bush ‘Royal Red’, Buddleia ‘Royal Red’, is not quite a true red color, but purple-red flowers are borne on this beautiful upright growing shrub. It is a vigorous growing shrub that boasts purple -red flowers from mid-summer and is a but… Read More	Butterfly Bush – White Bouquet The Butterfly Bush ‘White Bouquet’, Buddleia ‘White Bouquet’, has fragrant, white flower panicles 8-12″ long form on this somewhat compact growing butterfly bush. It is a vigorous growing shrub that boasts white flowers from mid-summer and is a butte… Read More
Compact American Cranberrybush The Compact American Cranberrybush, Viburnum. trilobum ‘Alfredo’, is native, hardy plant and has edible red fruits in fall, which are great for making jellies (and of course, for birds, too). It has superb red orange fall color.This compact American … Read More	Dogwood – Isanti The Dogwood ‘Isanti’, Cornus sericea ‘Isanti’, is a fine-twigged Dogwood with red bark. White flowers in late spring are followed by abundant white fruit. Mounding plants grow 4 to 5 feet tall and spreading 4 to 8 feet. Very adaptable and will thrive… Read More
Dogwood – Ivory Halo The Dogwood ‘Ivory Halo’, Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’,also known as tatarian dogwood, is a cultivar that is noted for its compact size, variegated (white-edged) leaves and bright red twigs in winter. It is a rapid-growing, multi-stemmed, suckering, decidu… Read More	Dogwood – Red Twigged The Dogwood ‘Red Twigged’, Cornus ‘Baileyi’, is a shade tolerant shrub with red bark in winter. This beautiful red stemmed dogwood has medium green foliage. The creamy white flowers are followed by blue-black fruits. Burgundy colored bark in the wint… Read More
Dogwood – Yellow Twig The Dogwood ‘Yellow Twig’, Cornus sericea ‘Yellow Twig’, is a medium sized shrub with bright yellow twigs. These yellow twigs provide a good contrast against any Red-twig with its yellow fall color. The foliage is medium to dark green in summer, foll… Read More	Dwarf Blue Leaf Arctic Willow The Dwarf Blue Leaf Arctic Willow, Salix purpurea ‘Nana’, is a fast grower and it will tolerate wet soil conditions.This shrub provides quantities of slender, upright stems which makes for a soft looking shrub which waves beautifully in the wind. To … Read More
Burning Bush – Emerald Gaiety The Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaiety’, Euonymus f. ‘Emerald Gaiety’, has deep green leaves edged in sparkling white. The leaves are tinged with pink in winter. This evergreen shrub has a dense erect habit and is excellent for small hedges and foundation plan… Read More	Burning Bush – Emerald n Gold The Euonymus ‘Emerald ‘n Gold’, Euonymus f.’Emerald n Gold’, is an excellent dwarf evergreen plant. It displays bright variegated green and gold foliage. It is also tolerant of dense shade. Emerald ‘n Gold Euonymus is a low-growing, tight branching, … Read More