Much ado about shrubs

Playing games while driving in the car has always been fun for our family. While traveling to Grayslake earlier this summer, we invented a new game. It is called ‘Dead Ash’. The concept is that whenever you see a dead ash tree you try to be the first to yell ‘Dead Ash’. Fortunately and not surprisingly, I won.

Unfortunately, there were an incredibly large number of dead ash trees visible along the countryside during a drive that took us about 75 minutes. It may sound incredibly short sighted, but I am not generally a ‘worry about the big picture’ type of person. The health and wellness of my children, I worry about, the financial crisis in Greece, I do not. I do worry about what happens if these dead trees are not taken down and they start to fall due to decomposition.

The last column highlighted perennial flowers, ornamental grasses and groundcovers that you may want to consider planting in your yard. This column will highlight evergreen and flowering shrubs. The next column will concentrate on Shade, Evergreen and Flowering Shrubs.

Shrubs

Concorde Dwarf Barberry – Gorgeous purple leaves in a compact shape at 18” by 18”. Grows best in full sun.

Lil Kim Dwarf Rose of Sharon – It has beautiful dainty white flowers punctuated with a showy red eye. Blooms July through September. Very compact growth at 3 1/2’ tall and wide. Hardy.

Amber Jubilee Ninebark – This plant offers a unique blend of foliage colors including new growth that takes on shades of yellow and orange in summer before turning purple in the fall. Grows 4-6’ tall in full sun to part shade.

Hakura Nishiki Willow – Fast growing Willow shrub. Variegated white, pink and green foliage. Tolerates wet soils. Better variegation if pruned back to 8-12″ every year. Red stems in spring. Grows about 6’ tall and wide.

Little Princess Spirea – Great shrub for low border, foundation or specimen planting. Deep pink lacy flower. Prune when dormant to keep compact habit. Grows about 30” tall and wide in full sun.

Candy Coralberry – This plant is great for anyone who is looking for a shrub that provides winter interest after most flowers and leaves are gone. Plump, candy-pink berries ripen in early fall as the last of summer’s small pink flowers swell into pearls. Grows 2’ tall by 2 1/2’ wide in full sun.

Raspberry Tart Viburnum – Named for its exceptionally showy raspberry-red fall foliage, this compact selection grows to only 4 to 5 feet. Durable under harsh conditions; superior winter hardiness. Produces showy flat-topped clusters of creamy white flowers in spring. Shiny, disease resistant foliage lasts all summer, then shows raspberry-red color and blue-black fruit in the fall.

Sonic Bloom Weigela – Lipstick-red flowers in spring. They continue to repeat blooming throughout the summer and early fall. Grows 4-6’ tall.

Evergreen Shrubs

Green Mountain Boxwood – Upright form, a great selection for Midwest areas. Very hardy. Oval-pyramidal habit. Grows 4’ tall. Perfect small pyramidal evergreen.

Blueberry Delight Juniper – This has attractive powder blue foliage with silver stripes and arching branches; extremely adaptable to poor soils and dry locations, very hardy. Will grow to 10” tall and 4’ wide.

Slowmound Mugho Pine – Valued for its neat, evenly mounded habit, this rugged and hardy dwarf shrub offers year-round beauty with its rich deep green foliage and fine texture. Slow growing, compact form seldom needs pruning or maintenance. Highly tolerant of salt and urban pollution. Drought tolerant when established, this is an ideal choice for a small urban garden.

Holmstrup Arborvitae – This densely branched, narrow conical evergreen has a neat, formal appearance. Effective landscape accent, windbreak or screen. 4-6’ tall x 24″ wide; bright green foliage; narrow habit; tolerates moist soil; tolerates light shade. Perfect accent plant of used to form a screen.

Emerald Green Arborvitae – Narrow, pyramidal evergreen displaying dense emerald green foliage. Holds its foliage color throughout winter. Thrives in heat and humidity of the summer, and tolerates dry spells when established. One of the most popular and effective shrubs for screening or tall hedge use. Grows 8-10’ tall and 3’ wide.

Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company.  She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or tgsinc12@msn.com.  Have a gardening question?  Please contact her.  She will address it in an upcoming column.

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