Shrubs provide the bones of the landscape. They are versatile, useful, and beautiful. They mark boundaries, create barriers, deter animals, frame views, and block eyesores. Shrubs can promote privacy, offer a welcome to guests, or act as a background in a border. As ground covers, they can control erosion or act as an attractive, low-maintenance alternative to lawns. In their all-season versatility, they provide flowers and fragrance, colorful foliage, berries for the birds, and green color in winter. Because shrubs are not throwaway plants, it s all the more important to buy the right shrub for the right place.
Too many gardeners have had the experience of putting in a neat little shrub and watching it grow to be a window-blocking monster. With this expert guide, readers will buy the right shrub in the first place and learn how to keep it looking its best.