Each owner, based on his desires, creates a unique image of the garden. If you plant only tall trees in it, it will be boring and dull. Only shrubs, especially flowering ones, can correct the situation and create a feeling of eternal holiday in your garden.
Such plants have a wide variety of species and varieties. They are presented:
- Evergreen shrubs that retain foliage in winter. In harsh climates, they are rare and require shelter during cold weather. Lingonberry, rhododendron, periwinkle are striking examples of shrubs of this species.
- Decorative deciduous shrubs that do not produce flowers. They are grown for their beautiful leaves. These are plants such as bamboo, bamboo, boxwood, aralia, and jasmine.
- Decorative flowering plants with incredibly beautiful flowers of various shapes and colors. This species includes honeysuckle, almonds, roses, lilacs, and cherries.
Rhododendron
This plant stands out for its bright, early and lush flowering. At this time it looks amazingly beautiful. The grace and richness of colors of rhododendron can only be compared with a rose. A flowering branch of a bush looks like a bouquet. Its beauty is emphasized by glossy leaves.
Jasmine
This plant is a favorite among gardeners. Jasmine has irresistible blooms. When you enter the garden, it seems as if snow has fallen. Snow-white flowers fascinate with their purity and aroma.
If we give examples of shrubs used in flowering alleys, from which hedges are created, then jasmine is definitely worth mentioning.
Lilac
It is very popular. Lilacs have long been used to decorate local areas, parks and gardens. Thanks to its delicate aroma, beautiful, abundant and long-lasting flowering, it has earned everyone's love.
The best ornamental plants
Barberry, hawthorn, camellia are the best examples of decorative shrubs. They are used in landscape design. They are created by nature for beauty.
- Barberry is considered one of the most beautiful deciduous shrubs. Its yellow, bright red and later brown shoots are incredibly attractive. The variety of varieties allows such plants to be widely used. grown to create borders and They are used in single plantings and large areas. They decorate gardens and parks.
- Hawthorn represents such types of shrubs that give beauty at any time of the year. In early spring, during the flowering period, its corymbose inflorescences attract attention, and in summer - fruits of orange, yellow, red, burgundy and black colors. In autumn, the plant pleases with the varied colors of its leaves.
- Camellia is a type of evergreen shrub and is the most ornamental plant. It is very important to know the distinctive characteristics of shrubs when choosing them for planting on your site. Camellia is notable for its exquisite And dense shiny dark green leaves give it charm.
Woody ornamental plants
Almost all flowering ones belong to tree species. They bloom in spring or early summer, and some only in August. If we talk about examples of long-lived shrubs, it is worth noting that their flowering time lasts from early spring to late autumn. In evergreen deciduous woody plants, the leaves remain green throughout the winter and their fibrous structure resembles leather. Various shrubs, the names and photos of which you see in the article, give the garden a unique charm. After all, they bloom at different times, their leaves do not fall at the same time. And some species remain green all year round.
- Ginseng is one of the evergreens. This shrub is very large and is distinguished by thorny branches, umbellate flowers and black fruits. Ginseng is not afraid of severe frosts.
- Hydrangea paniculata is a medium-sized bush. But sometimes the plant reaches three meters in height. It depends on the growing conditions. Hydrangea doesn't like the sun. It seems like it was created for growing in the shade. This shrub is distinguished by paniculate inflorescences of white and later slightly reddish shades.
- The common rose cannot be confused with another plant. It is notable for its amazing flowers, large leaves and decorative appearance of the bush. The rose has a unique feature: unpretentiousness is combined with peculiar beauty.
- - tall tree-like shrub. Its sparse branches are decorated with large light green feathery leaves. The bright red inflorescences, reminiscent of candles, are especially beautiful in the bright sun. This shrub is usually used in single plantings, as it loves a lot of space. It grows poorly next to tall representatives of the flora.
Herbaceous plants
In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, small thick shoots begin to break out. They grow rapidly and soon create massive herbaceous shrubs with numerous stems. First, buds appear on them, and then large flowers with an amazing smell. These are peonies, the beauty of which can be admired endlessly. They will perfectly decorate any garden with their lush blooms, exquisite flower shape and unsurpassed aroma.
Dianthus pinnate is also a perennial herbaceous plant. The bush is formed due to the rooting of numerous shoots and looks like a dense pillow. This plant is distinguished by oblong bluish leaves and single pink flowers with a pleasant scent. Carnations are used to create flower beds. These herbaceous shrubs will add value to any garden.
Marsh wild rosemary also belongs to evergreen plants of this type. It is distinguished by shiny dark green leaves, which are covered with reddish fluff underneath. White inflorescences of regular shape attract attention. They are collected at the ends of the stems in bunches.
Now you know what herbaceous and tree-like shrubs are. The names and photos given in the article will help you choose plants for your garden.
Summer residents who decide to decorate their plots with beautiful shrubs immediately face the question - which shrub is best to plant?
Ideally, such a plant should satisfy the following requirements:
- Be beautiful throughout the summer season.
- Easy to care for.
- Frost-resistant, able to withstand our difficult winters.
Winter-hardy, beautifully flowering shrubs
Below are the names and characteristics of just such ornamental shrubs: frost-resistant, unpretentious and beautifully flowering.
Many shrubs have proven themselves to be winter-hardy, undemanding and at the same time very decorative in our climate. I’ll tell you about the most popular ones, which can be planted in almost all regions of our country.
Derain white
Famous for its brightly colored red bark. There is a form with large green leaves, which become multi-colored by autumn, and a more compact turf with white-edged leaves. To ensure that the tree bark is always bright, the bushes are pruned short every year, leaving stumps of shoots - a few centimeters above the soil level. With this formation, the bush forms expanding thickets.
- Shrub height from one and a half to two meters.
- Blooms in early summer.
- Derain is exceptionally frost-resistant, decorative and unpretentious in all respects.
- Grows in any soil and tolerates heat and shade well.
- Suitable for planting in the background of a plot or along a fence, as well as for hedges.
This turf is especially beautiful in the fall
This is a type of tree with green leaves that turn burgundy in autumn.
And this is variegated turf.
The leaves of this plant remain painted with a white pattern all summer.
This shrub is quite suitable for creating hedges.
Derain grows quickly and in order for the hedge to be always neat, it will have to be carefully looked after.
This is how the turf blooms.
The plant can be formed into either a lush bush or a small tree.
Derain does not lose its decorative effect even in winter.
Well, where else can you find a bush with such original, red shoots?
Deciduous barberries
They are distinguished by enviable winter hardiness and are easy to care for. The color of the leaves can be yellow, green, purple, red. Barberries are suitable for any fertile soil, open space or partial shade. They are easy to trim, but you don’t have to trim them, limiting yourself to removing damaged and excess branches in the spring.
- The height of different types and varieties varies from 60 cm to 2 m.
- An extremely unpretentious, frost-resistant shrub. Grows in shade, sun and almost any soil. The colors of the leaves are striking in their diversity.
- The application is universal, from planting low-growing varieties on hills to creating hedges. It can serve as both a background and an edge; it looks beautiful on a green lawn.
Barberry Thunberg.
Such an elegant bush will decorate any hill.
Barberry goes well with conifers.
Here the barberry bush acts as the edge of the spruce.
Barberry on the lawn.
On a green lawn, variegated shrubs look very colorful.
Barberry hedge
Picturesque and practical hedges are made from barberry, but we must remember that this shrub is terribly prickly and not particularly pleasant to work with. Read more about using barberry in garden design
Spirea
Almost all spirea are fast-growing, frost-resistant shrubs, unpretentious and profusely flowering. There are two groups of spirea - spring-flowering and summer-flowering. In spring-blooming species, such as Ash Spiraea, the drooping branches are entirely decorated with tiny white flowers. These spirea bloom once. In spring-flowering spireas, old and weak branches are cut out after flowering.
Summer-flowering spirea are characterized by long flowering. Pink (various shades) flowers are usually collected in flat spherical or spike-shaped inflorescences. Of the summer-flowering spireas, interesting is the Boumalda spirea (height 60 cm), blooming with graceful, carmine-pink flat inflorescences. The Goldflame variety has young leaves that are yellow and orange, so the bush looks very elegant in spring.
Varieties of Japanese spirea (height 60 cm) are also very interesting. For example, the Crispa variety is distinguished by very decorative bright flowers.
- The height of the bushes, depending on the variety, is from 0.5 m to 2 m.
- If you select spring-flowering and summer-flowering varieties, flowering can continue almost throughout the spring and summer.
- Spiraea does not require fertile soil. Grows quickly in both sun and partial shade. Most spirea are winter-hardy and do not need shelter even in frosty winters.
- These shrubs are not only decorative, but also have a wide variety of sizes, bush shapes, leaf colors and different flowering times. Thanks to these qualities, you can decorate the garden with only spirea.
Spiraea Vangutta.
Such tall shrubs are suitable for single plantings or for growing in hedges.
You can create such a picturesque corner by planting spirea with hostas and juniper.
Spiraea japonica
The low-growing Japanese spirea makes elegant borders. It also looks appropriate in rockeries.
Hydrangea
Tree hydrangea, a shrub of North American origin, proved to be the most winter-hardy. Other species (originally from China and Japan) are less frost-resistant and more difficult to care for.
Tree hydrangea is common in our gardens, but for some reason everyone wants to see plants with blue, pink or even reddish inflorescences in their gardens. Such hydrangeas, of course, are spectacular, but more capricious, although among them there are varieties that some gardeners successfully grow in the northern regions.
But if you haven't grown hydrangea in your garden, start with tree hydrangea - an easy-to-care, showy shrub with huge caps of white flowers.
Hydrangea paniculata grows well in the harsh regions of Russia, a very beautiful wintering shrub up to three meters high (ours does not reach such a height) with a dense spherical crown. The inflorescence is a wide-pyramidal panicle 15-30 cm long and 30 cm wide. The flowers are white, turning red in autumn.
- The height of the bushes is up to two meters.
- Blooms from mid-summer.
- Hydrangeas are extremely moisture-loving, tolerate shade well, and love well-drained, fertile, acidic soil. Therefore, peat is added when planting. The soil can be acidified with iron sulfate.
- Hydrangeas are planted as single bushes or in groups. The plant goes well with other coniferous and deciduous ornamental shrubs.
Such a picturesque shrub is sure to attract attention.
Cinquefoil shrub
Deciduous shrubs, prostrate or compact. The bush-like forms of cinquefoil have three names at once: Kuril tea, bush cinquefoil and five-leaf plant. Cinquefoil is made attractive by the abundance of small flowers. The most common is the form with yellow flowers.
The flowers are solitary or in a few racemes or umbellate inflorescences, medium-sized. The plant's bright green, small carved foliage is also decorative. Cinquefoils do not tolerate dry air well.
- Bushes one to one and a half meters high.
- The shrub blooms for a very long time - almost from the beginning of summer to the beginning of autumn.
- Cinquefoils are photophilous, although they tolerate slight partial shade, are quite drought-resistant, and require rich soils, which should be moderately moist.
- Winter-hardy: species forms can withstand forty-degree frosts, varieties are less tolerant of low temperatures.
- Cinquefoil is suitable for creating borders and low hedges, looks elegant in single and group plantings, and combines harmoniously with coniferous plants.
Here is such a neat bush of Potentilla fruticosa.
Cinquefoil tolerates clipping well and makes colorful hedges and borders.
Bladderwort viburnum
Large, frost-resistant shrub. Both of its forms - both with golden and purple leaves - are always decorative: in the spring, when the leaves bloom, during flowering (it blooms with white corymbose inflorescences) and after it, when clusters of red fruits are formed.
- The height of the bushes, depending on the variety, is from one to three meters.
- Flowering in early summer, for 20 days.
- Bladderwort is unpretentious, drought-resistant and shade-tolerant, but it is better to plant in full sun so that the leaves retain their bright color.
- Suitable for tall hedges and single plantings.
Diabolo bladderwort.
These are the different types of vesicles. There are shrubs with different leaf colors.
Bladderwort Luteus.
Snowberry
Snowberries come in white and pink. If you are interested in the most cold-resistant shrubs, then plant white snowberry; it can easily tolerate even the coldest winters.
Over time, it grows strongly and can grow in any conditions, both in the open sun and in the dense shade of trees. The shrub is valued for its many large, decorative, white marble-like fruits that form in the fall.
It lends itself well to pruning; bushes are thinned out in early spring and trimmed in summer.
- It grows up to 2.5 meters wide and 1.5 meters high.
- Snowberry grows on any soil, prefers a sunny place. Minimal care: the plant is drought-resistant, does not require fertilizing, can easily tolerate heat, and is not susceptible to diseases and pests.
- With its white fruits it looks good on dark greenery: on the lawn, against the backdrop of conifers.
Snowberry hedges look elegant and require very little maintenance.
Snowberry fruits.
Ornamental shrubs for summer cottages with average winter hardiness
The plants described below, although they are not particularly frost-resistant, do not require special shelter for the winter. In most cases, simply covering the bushes with snow is enough.
Deytsia
If the action is given room, in June it will be covered with small flowers. The color of the flowers (and they can be both double and non-double) varies from white to intense pink.
In our climate, Deutzia rough is considered the most unpretentious. It blooms with white and pink flowers. It is not very demanding on the soil; it grows well wherever water does not stagnate. Adapts to both sun and partial shade. Faded branches are pruned after flowering. Old branches are cut down to the base.
- Most varieties of deutia do not exceed 120-170 cm in height.
- Flowering in spring and summer (depending on variety)
- The shrub is easy to care for; drought-resistant and not susceptible to diseases and pests. In winter, it is advisable to press the branches to the ground (at -25º the buds freeze slightly)
- Deutia makes picturesque, unformed hedges. You can plant a mixborder in the background or cover the base of tall shrubs.
Beautiful deutzia.
Planting deutia hedges in the northern regions is not recommended. Still, this shrub is not winter-hardy enough for such purposes.
In the southern regions, deutzia is quite suitable for creating hedges
Keria japonica
An unpretentious shrub that blooms annually in April-May with yellow flowers. May bloom again.
The non-double form is very elegant: slender, slightly drooping branches, reaching a length of one and a half meters, yellow flowers, similar to large buttercup flowers. And after flowering, the bush looks lovely, thanks to its very beautiful bright green leaves, similar to young birch leaves.
- The height of the bushes is up to two meters.
- Blooms in spring. Flowering is long, almost two months.
- Prefers a place in the sun. It can grow in partial shade, but its decorative qualities are noticeably lost. Regular watering and periodic feeding are required.
- Used for single and group plantings. It goes well with conifers and looks beautiful on a green lawn.
Keria is distinguished by early and bright flowering.
This plant can also be grown in pots. Of course, the size of the bush in this case will be much more modest.
Keria can also be grown on the balcony.
Weigela
When in bloom, it is the most beautiful of all the shrubs listed above. But to show off its drooping branches in all its glory, it requires a lot of space. Loves fertile soil and annual pruning, but is generally unpretentious. Immediately after flowering, branches with faded flowers are shortened.
Weigela Variegata is more compact and restrained in growth - a bush up to 120 cm high with pale pink flowers and yellow-edged leaves.
Weigels do not like to grow in the wind. When planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between seedlings of at least two meters.
- On average, the height of weigela is 1.5 - 2 meters.
- It blooms in May-June with pink, white or ruby-red tubular flowers. Prone to re-blooming.
- Weigela grows in any soil, in direct sun and partial shade.
- The most frost-resistant varieties that winter well both in Siberia and in the Moscow region: “Alba”, “Striatum”, “Shtyriaka”, “Bristol ruby”.
- Considering the high decorative value of this shrub, it is usually planted in the foreground: at the entrance to the house, along the paths or on the lawn.
Weigela rosea hybrid.
Weigela will harmoniously fit into any corner of the garden.
Weigela Red Prince
Chaenomeles (Japanese quince)
A very common shrub because it can grow on any soil, both in the sun and in the shade. It blooms brightly in spring and bears golden, fragrant fruits in autumn. The bushes do not need pruning: they are thinned out occasionally.
The diameter of Chaenomeles flowers is 3 - 5 cm.
It should be noted that weigela, deutzia, and kerria can have severely frozen branches in severe winters. But nothing bad will happen: the bushes grow quickly.
Of all the listed assortments, I love summer spireas, weigelas, vesicles and barberries most of all for their beautiful and long flowering, high decorative value throughout the season
Shrubs should be placed in accordance with their growth and ability to grow in breadth.
About the rules for pruning ornamental shrubs
All of the plants listed are not rare; they are quite easy to acquire.
In our huge country there are a large number of summer residents who tend their own gardens. However, many of them limit themselves only to flower beds, as they think that growing ornamental shrubs is much more difficult. And in vain!
After all, many varieties of these plants do not require special daily effort from you to grow.
So which bush is better to plant in your garden?
About 1,500 different types of shrubs are grown in Russia. Naturally, each type requires specific care, but what kind of care?
This depends on the climate of the particular region, the level of shade in your garden and the winds.
Which shrubs are winter resistant?
Frost-resistant shrubs that bloom throughout the summer season are especially popular. Such plants are suitable for the harsh climates of our country, because they do not need to be additionally insulated against cold weather.
Let's look at the most common types of them.
Lilac is a bush that grows 3 meters in height. Its branches can interfere with the growth of other plants, so lilacs must be pruned promptly and correctly.
If you are not sure that this bush will survive the cold, you can purchase special varieties for cold climates. For example, "Alice Harding" or "Paul Tyrion".
Hydrangea is a bush with large inflorescences. It is required to regularly fertilize with magnesium or iron, as well as prune the plant.
You need to cut off excess shoots in the fall, when the flowering period ends, and in the spring you need to remove the tops of the branches to the upper buds. That is, circumcision is done twice a year.
Spiraea is a bush that resembles the shape of a cascade due to the heaviness of its flowers. Some can grow up to 2.5 meters high. Therefore, of course, you need to remove the shoots. This should be done immediately after flowering.
The varieties that gardeners most often grow are “Golden Princess” and “Shirobana” - they are small and, with proper care, grow to about 70 cm.
Buddleia - a bush that can reach about 3 meters in height. Prune it as soon as it finishes blooming. More suitable for temperate climates. It can withstand cold frosts, but before that it needs to be hilled up and then covered with spruce branches.
What shrubs love shade?
Another shrub that is often planted is shade-tolerant. They can be used as decorations not only for the garden, but also for the appearance of your home - this will not harm the growth of the bushes. Below are the most popular plants.
Weigela is a shrub that grows up to 70–80 cm. The flowers bloom at the end of April and most often bloom until late autumn. Mandatory conditions for flowering: warm weather and shady area.
Wisteria is a shrub that sometimes reaches a height of 18 meters. Many people use such plants to decorate unfortunate places in the garden. Wisteria blooms from spring to autumn and is accompanied by a rich aroma.
Deutzia is a small shrub that begins flowering in late spring. If you plant several bushes nearby, you get an interesting composition. But you need to regularly trim branches and shoots to maintain beauty.
What plants are grown to create hedges?
For hedges, fast-growing shrubs that do not reach large sizes are best suited. The following are widespread among summer residents.
Barberry is a bush that creates a difficult-to-pass hedge due to its thorns, and also easily takes its shape thanks to its crown. Treatment does not take much effort: feed no more than once a month, trim the upper branches if necessary, spray periodically.
Thorn is a bush that sometimes grows up to 3 meters, so it needs to regularly cut off its branches and give it the necessary shape. During the flowering period, sloe smells like almonds.
Dogwood is a bush that grows up to 5 meters in height. Because of this, it is more often used for external garden fences. The crown of this plant requires regular pruning of branches. The bush blooms from March to May, but in the summer you can enjoy its berries.
What shrubs with fruits can be grown in the garden?
You can probably find raspberries, currants or plums in every summer cottage - these are all fruit bushes.
If your garden does not allow you to grow large ornamental shrubs, then you can decorate the area with fruit species of plants of different varieties.
For example, most people think of raspberries as red or pink, but they can also be purple, white or black.
What are evergreen shrubs good for?
Evergreens are usually used to create hedges or decorative elements. For this, the bushes listed below are most often used.
Magnolia is a shrub not exceeding 1 meter in height. Its beautiful leaves can remain on the branches for many years. In the warm season they turn green, and in the cold season they turn copper.
Honeysuckle is a shrub no more than 50 cm high. It tolerates shady areas well. During the frosty season, it is better to cover honeysuckle.
Rhododendrons are usually low shrubs. It does not require constant watering and grows well in the shade, but in winter it should be covered with special material.
How to feed shrubs in the fall?
Different plants require different care. Some people need iron, others need fluoride, others need something else. But there are general recommendations that are suitable for almost all plants.
Give the bushes fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus. This procedure can be done only once every two years.
Also, experienced summer residents advise eliminating fertilizing containing nitrogen in the fall - this will only enhance the growth of new branches, and they will die during the first cold weather.
Photos of ornamental shrubs
Bush- a low-growing tree-like plant that does not have a main trunk. The shrub has several hard stems covered with bark. The branches of the bush start almost from the very surface of the soil. Shrubs are perennial plants.
In forests, shrubs usually occupy the undergrowth. Since much less sunlight reaches the understory, the plants there are shade-loving and are able to perform photosynthesis in limited light. The undergrowth is very important for forest life. Falling leaves of shrubs enrich the forest soil with nutrients, make it loose, form a layer of litter that protects the soil from freezing and overheating, and retains soil moisture. Shrubs in the forest and park create favorable conditions for nesting birds, which destroy harmful insects. Many shrubs produce edible and medicinal berries and seeds that people and wildlife need. In the forest, bushes help animals and birds hide from enemies; under their protection, animals make their burrows, lairs, and beds.
In addition, growing in dense clumps under the canopy of trees, shrubs protect the soil from excessive trampling, surface roots from damage, and thereby improve the living conditions of trees.
In gardens, parks, and public gardens, shrubs are usually planted for decorative purposes. Some shrubs make beautiful hedges, which can even be trimmed without much damage to the plant.
There are many species and forms of shrubs growing in our country. Among them there are many with beautiful and fragrant flowers, with leaves and fruits of various colors and shapes. The most common for forests in the middle zone are honeysuckle, buckthorn, warty euonymus, viburnum, hazel, raspberries, currants, and rose hips.
In parks and squares, the most common forms of mock orange, hawthorn, spirea, cotoneaster, and lilac are found. Some Far Eastern species of shrubs are very good, for example Amur maple, or ginnala.
Shrubs up to 50-60 cm high with woody and usually highly branched shoots, often with long rhizomes, are called shrubs- This lingonberries, cranberries, blueberries, as well as andromeda, heather etc. Shrubs predominate in the vegetation cover of the tundra. They often form a continuous layer in coniferous forests and sphagnum bogs.
Many shrubs provide us with valuable edible berries, which also serve as important food for animals and birds. The continuous cover formed by shrubs in moss swamps and coniferous forests is easily destroyed. It takes a long time to restore it. In addition, shrubs are very sensitive to any environmental change. Therefore, you need to treat them very carefully, do not break them, do not trample them when picking berries.
Low shrubs, no more tall than grass, which seem to creep along the ground, are called subshrubs . In subshrubs, unlike shrubs and dwarf shrubs, only the lower part of the shoots, bearing renewal buds, becomes woody and remains in the winter for many years, and the upper part - herbaceous - dies off every year with the onset of cold weather, and grows back with the onset of warmth.
Examples of subshrubs: teresken, many types of steppe and desert wormwood, astragalus, saltwort (sarsazan, potashnik). Depending on the species, blueberries can be a shrub, a subshrub, or even a shrub.