How to Combine Shrubs & Flowers
While you may think of a garden as filled with only flowers, incorporating shrubs to the mix adds structure and interest to a space. Planting shrubs can provide additional benefits such as privacy screens and borders, and you can plan color schemes that take advantage of the added dimension of height. Your primary consideration in choosing where to place shrubs will be size. Some shrubs are dwarf in size; others can grow to more than 10 feet in height, with equal-sized circumferences. With your ideas in mind, get ready to dig in. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Garden Design
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Plan your design on paper before you buy any shrubs or flowers. Consider the style of your garden, such as formal or informal. Also consider the features you want to include, such as walking paths, and any specific function the garden will serve.
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Research soil and lighting conditions. To combine shrubs and flowers in an attractive display, you need to know the conditions in your garden. Some plants may have very specific requirements. Rhododendrons, for example, prefer acidic soils.
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Select your shrubs and flowers. With your list in hand, consult a horticulturist to determine if any negative interactions are possible within the garden and your yard. Some plants may act as intermediate hosts to parasites, as in the case of gooseberry bushes for white pine.
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Plan your maintenance schedule. In addition to weeding, which is necessary for flower gardens, shrubs require extra maintenance. Regular pruning can remove dead and diseased areas as well as encourage new growth.
Possibilities
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Choose shrubs that will provide nesting areas if your aim is to create a bird habitat. Flowers such as coneflower and aster will provide food, encouraging birds to claim the garden as their territory. Remember to include a birdbath or other water source.
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Choose old-fashioned plants to create an heirloom feel in an informal cottage garden. Bridalwreath spirea is a white-flowering bush that makes a nice backdrop for colorful flowers such as daffodils, peonies and tulips.
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Select plants native to your area for a minimum-maintenance garden. For instance, a native prairie garden can combine wildflowers such as prairie smoke, coreopsis and blazing star with shrubs such as wild rose to create a garden that offers a burst of color during late summer.
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Place native plants in a low-lying area of your yard to create an environmentally friendly rain garden. Flowers such as white turtlehead and monkey flower planted with shrubs such as arrowwood and spirea are low-maintenance options. This garden helps the environment by reducing runoff.
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Tips & Warnings
Note blooming times of plants in order to plan for season-long color.
If you are creating a bird habitat, make sure you provide plenty of cover to discourage birds from nesting in or damaging the exterior of your home.
Once planted, shrubs are there indefinitely. Keep future garden plans in mind before planting.
Some shrubs such as honeysuckle and oleander attract bees. Plant these shrubs well away from your home and outdoor play areas.
