Ornamental shrubs: varieties, tips for choosing and care

If you are the happy owner of a country house with a plot of land, you know exactly how nice it is to wake up in the morning and go out onto the porch and admire the surrounding landscape. However, for this you need to create a beautiful landscape design.

It is for such personal plots that various kinds of ornamental shrubs were selected. These plants are deciduous and coniferous, tall and short, fruiting and simply flowering - in general, the choice is extensive here. We will talk about its criteria, the most popular varieties and the features of caring for them in our article.

With such a huge selection of varieties of ornamental shrubs, it is quite difficult to identify any common features, since they depend on the subspecies of the plant itself., but the most important are:

• shrubs can grow in almost any climatic conditions and on any soil, but you need to carefully study the features of your region in order to determine what you will plant on the site;
• many ornamental shrubs coexist peacefully with other types of plants, however, check this point every time you think about planting a new tree;
• such shrubs most often do not have any other function than decorative, which means that you should always remember that they need care in order to maintain their attractive appearance.

Ornamental bushes are:

• heat-loving and frost-resistant;

• fruiting and flowering;

• low, medium and high;

• shade-loving and sun-loving;

• evergreen and deciduous;

• moisture-loving and drought-resistant.

When choosing the right plants for your landscape, it is very important to clarify this point: what temperatures prevail in your climate? If you live in a warm area, where even in winter the temperature does not drop below zero, then you have more choice. If, in your geographical latitude, the temperature indicators are often below zero, then it makes sense to think about those shrubs that can be beautiful even in a harsh climate. However, the same bush cannot be equally beautiful all year round.

Let's figure out which shrubs will delight you:

• in the spring - keria, canadian irga, almond tree, spirea, forsythia, azalea, magnolia, witch hazel;

• in summer - barberry, blooming roses, jasmine, heather, hydrangea;

• in the fall - Kalina Kompaktum, semi-soft hawthorn, mountain ash, abelia, snowberry, Japanese maple;

• in winter - camellia (in regions with a warm climate), juniper, holly, yew.

So, we found out what types of ornamental bushes are suitable for each season. And now let's find out about each of them in more detail.

• Garden azalea - a stunningly beautiful flowering shrub from the genus of rhododendrons. It blooms so luxuriantly that you can hardly see the foliage. There are many different types of azaleas, even some that do not shed their leaves all year round. The color range of buds is also wide - from white-pink to bright red, from pale yellow to orange. There are even purple and purple inflorescences. Azalea blooms in spring, flowering duration - from a crescent to two months.The plant is very demanding to care for, starting with choosing the right location and ending with maintaining a constant level of soil moisture.

• Witch hazel. A beautiful and very unusual flowering plant. Moreover, not only its inflorescences attract attention - witch hazel has fleshy large leaves in the shape of an oval, which in autumn become brightly colored in orange-yellow tones. Outwardly, witch hazel resembles a hazel, which is why he was given the nickname "witch's nut". In cool weather, this interesting plant rolls its petals into tubes. Depending on the climatic conditions in which this shrub grows, its flowering time falls either in late autumn or early spring and lasts about 20 days, or even a month.

• Irga canadian. As the name suggests, this perennial plant is native to North America. Irga is a light-loving and drought-resistant tree, frost-resistant, undemanding to the type of soil, does not need abundant watering. In conditions of urban polluted air, it grows well, does not suffer from it. Refers to fast-growing shrubs. Irga canadensis, as a rule, is planted to create hedges or as a single garden decoration. The flowers are collected in a cluster, the berries are red, turning into purple with a slight bluish bloom upon reaching ripeness.

• Keriya (kerria) is Japanese. It has thin flowing branches, graceful leaves and bright yellow flowers, resembling small roses in appearance. Kerria begins to bloom in early spring and this continues until July. However, even after the bulk of the buds have faded, individual flowers will appear on it until the very end of summer. Kerria leaves also look attractive: they have an alternate arrangement, jagged edges, their shape is an elongated oval with a sharp tip. In autumn they turn yellow.

• Magnolia. It has many varieties (slightly more than 60), among which there are deciduous and evergreens. Magnolia blooms profusely, the flowers are quite large in size, their color range includes white, pink, purple and yellow shades. The magnolia scent is famous among gardeners. This shrub tree is very much appreciated for the decoration of gardens, parks, home gardens because of its stunning appearance. Magnolias grow in places with a varied climate, but they take root especially well where it is warm.

• Almond. An ornamental shrub of this species is in great demand in the formation of hedges. This is explained by its interesting crown, which has a spherical shape, unusual leaves of a dark green color and stunning flowering that occurs in spring. A blooming almond tree is a must-see - pinkish-white flowers cover it with a “hat”, turning it into a magical fragrant ball.

• Spirea. An interesting ornamental shrub with a wide variety of species. Spireas differ in shape (with downward branches, pyramid-shaped, hemispheric, liana-like), in the color of the foliage, especially in the autumn, in the type of inflorescences and shade of flowers. There is also a difference in flowering time: spring or summer. Spring spireas, as a rule, dissolve their white buds on last year's shoots, summer ones do it on newly grown branches, and their flowers have a brighter color: from pink to purple. Spirea grows remarkably in a big city, is frost-resistant, does not require special care.

• Forsythia. Blooms in early spring. It blooms very profusely. Inflorescences resemble bells, have a bright yellow color. Forsythia is a thermophilic plant, and therefore it will not be able to take root in every climate.However, selection does not stand still, and now on the market you can see varieties that are more adapted to Russian realities. Forsythia is in great demand as a plant, from the plantings of which hedges are formed.

Summer is the time for the most extensive selection of ornamental shrubs to decorate the backyard. However, there are several varieties that we want to highlight.

• Barberry. Probably everyone remembers how in childhood they feasted on the sweets of the same name. If you have a summer cottage or a country house, you will have the opportunity to eat real barberry berries - tasty and healthy. And the tree itself will not leave you indifferent. Barberry is a thorny shrub that comes in many varieties, from shedding leaves to those that remain green all year round. The leaves have serrated edges, flowers appear in early summer, are painted in yellow and orange tones. By the end of September, the tree begins to bear fruit. The berries are elongated, scarlet in color and have a bright sweet and sour taste.

• Heather. Another shrub worthy of the attention of an amateur gardener. It is a perennial with a very long life span - up to 50 years. The plant is unpretentious, in natural conditions it often "settles" in peat bogs, pine forests, in places where there were forest fires. Heather is an evergreen plant. Its leaves have the shape of a trihedron and "play" with various shades, from light green to malachite. The flowers of this shrub are collected in inflorescences, each of which can have up to 30 buds. The color is white, yellowish, pink, lilac or purple. Heather is an excellent honey plant, to which bees, bumblebees, wasps and other lovers of sweet nectar flock with joy.

• Hydrangea (hydrangia). A stunningly beautiful ornamental shrub with abundant flowering. Very much in demand in landscape design. Hydrangea has large juicy green leaves in the shape of an egg, with sharp edges. It blooms in large clusters that look like lilac blooms. Flowers have a variety of shades, from white-pink to sky blue. The diameter of the hydrangea inflorescence can reach 25 centimeters. The flowering period is from mid-summer to September. The disadvantage of the shrub is cold intolerance. Therefore, if your living climate is not mild, do not forget to cover your hydrangea well for the winter, otherwise, the bush may die.

• Jasmine. Now we will tell you something that may surprise you: the jasmine bush, which is common among landscape design lovers, is not jasmine! This plant is so named because of the similarity of its flowers to jasmine. The shrub in question has the name chubushnik - in common parlance, "garden jasmine." It is very popular for its attractive appearance and amazing bloom that begins in the spring. Chubushnik inflorescences are racemose, the flowers have a white or pale cream shade. Well, their amber is carried far beyond the garden. Leaves of "garden jasmine" are elongated, egg-shaped or wide. Their color is juicy green. In the autumn, the foliage falls off.

• You can talk about roses forever. This is one of those plants that makes even those who are indifferent to flowers admire. We want to tell you a little about such a garden variety as the rugosa rugosa rose. This ornamental shrub can grow up to 2 meters in height. Great for forming hedges as well as single planting.Like all roses, rugose rugosa has thorns. Leaves are oval, with jagged edges. One side is glossy, the other is matte, with a grayish "fluff". Flowers are of great variety in both size and color. Rugosa rose has a powerful rhizome, capable of going deep into the soil for several meters and covering a large area around the plant.

Autumn for most plants is a time of leaf fall and cessation of active growth. However, there are plants that, with the arrival of autumn, only become more beautiful and serve as a wonderful accent of the landscape. Let's talk about them in more detail.

• Abelia. It blooms for a long time and profusely throughout the summer until mid-autumn. Among the varieties there are evergreens. The leaves of the abelia are of a deep green hue, oval, with sharp tips. Flowers - white or pink with a rich aroma, tube-shaped, growing in groups of several at the tips of branches.

• Snowberry. Also known as wolfberry. This shrub is very common in the front gardens of apartment buildings and in parks. It is also planted in suburban areas. The leaves of the snowberry are egg-shaped, with different colors on both sides: on the front side they are green, and on the “inside” - glaucous, as if smoky. At the end of spring, the "wolfberry" begins to bloom and until September remains strewn with small pinkish flowers gathered in bunches. In autumn, the shrub is covered with white berries. They are inedible and even poisonous. But the berries look beautiful, by the way, they can remain on the bush during the entire autumn-winter period. Densely planted snowberry bushes make stunning hedges. They also look great in composition with other ornamental shrubs.

• Hawthorn is semi-soft. Winter hardy deciduous plant. It begins to bloom in late spring. The flowers of the hawthorn are small, white-pink, 2-2.5 centimeters in diameter. Egg-shaped leaves, pointed, rough. In early autumn, the bush is covered with berries. They are pear-shaped and grow up to 2 centimeters in length. Their color is red with a shade of orange, there are small dots on the surface. The berries are sweet and sour, tasty and healthy, starchy. Hawthorn is resistant to frost, unpretentious to its habitat, survives well in urban conditions. Hawthorn plantations are used to create hedges, combined with other shrubs, and planted singly to decorate the landscape.

• Kalina Compactum. As the name implies, it has a modest size - about one and a half meters in height and about two in diameter. It begins to bloom at the end of May, the flowers have a white-cream color. This period lasts about 2-3 weeks. Closer to autumn, the tree is covered with red bunches of berries. It looks very elegant, for which, in fact, the viburnum Compactum is loved by gardeners and landscape designers. She is unpretentious in care, does not require special conditions for "living". Resistant to low temperatures. By the way, another of its advantages is that the berries will hang on the branches all winter and attract a variety of birds to your yard. And they will feast on and you will enjoy their twittering.

• Maple Japanese. This is truly an "autumn" tree! It is impossible not to admire its bright red leaves of an unusual shape. The red Japanese maple has 3 varieties: fan-shaped, palm-shaped and Japanese. They vary in shade and foliage, as well as in size. The fanny one is the smallest. Maples also bloom. Their flowers are small, their colors are from bright red to green-yellow. In the future, the flowers are transformed into winged seeds, which are carried by the wind in different directions and young trees grow from them.

• Rowan. Another shrub with bright berries, which, in contrast to the yellowed autumn foliage, look especially elegant.Landscape designers often use this tree as a contrasting "spot" in the garden. Rowan is very easy to grow: it is unpretentious, resistant to the vagaries of the weather. In addition to aesthetic, it also brings practical benefits - its berries are tasty and healthy. Do not eat it yourself - the birds eat it, thanks to you for this nutritious delicacy in the frosty winter.

It is easy to guess that in winter, not every shrub will be able to decorate your garden plot. Most of them stand "naked", without foliage and look as gray as the surrounding landscape (unless, of course, you live in warm regions). But there are several types of ornamental shrubs that become the most beautiful in winter. Let's talk about them.

• Camellia. Perennial plant with stems branching from the base. Evergreen. The leaves are egg-shaped, the tip is pointed. The color of the foliage is dark green, with a fleshy vein in the center. Camellia begins to bloom in early winter and ends in spring. Her flowers are quite large (up to 12 cm), the petals are arranged in multi-tiered. They have no aroma. The color range is white-pink, yellow, red, variegated flowers are often found.

• Holly. An evergreen shrub with glossy green foliage and scarlet berries - very much like a Christmas wreath. Although it is a "decorator" of the garden in winter, however, with a small caveat: winter should not be cold, because frosts are fatal to holly. If the climate in your region is harsh, but you want to cultivate this plant on your site, then prepare to cover it during the winter months. Holly is not only a garden decor - it is also used for medicinal purposes.

• Yew berry. Coniferous shrub. Shade-tolerant, loves moisture. It grows very slowly. It is a poisonous plant, only berries are safe, but it is better for people not to eat them. From yew plantations, chic hedges are obtained, as well as sculptures, since a haircut is only good for this plant. The roots of the yew tree are very close to the soil surface, so even mature shrubs can be replanted. The older the plant becomes, the more resistant it is to frost. At a young age, it needs winter shelter.

• Rosehip is decorative. A large shrub with arc-shaped branches hanging down to the ground. Has hard sharp thorns. The rose hips have many varieties, among which there are even liana-like ones, which grow, clinging to trees or courtyard buildings with lianas branches. Shrubs in the form of a hemisphere, which bloom profusely and brightly, are very loved.

• Juniper. An unusual interesting plant that looks like a flattened bush. It is known for its disinfecting effect. It is used in landscape design as an independent unit or as a part of a composition, for example, when creating an artificial slide with plantings. The Cossack juniper, often planted in plots, has an emerald green color with a bluish tint. The plant is coniferous, although the needles look like leaves.

For regions with mild climates and short winters, the choice of an ornamental shrub is not a problem. Indeed, the choice of thermophilic plants is quite wide. But what should those who live in more severe conditions, for example, in the Urals, in Siberia, do? After all, I want the personal plot to please the eye! Let's figure it out.

So, Ural. The land of mountains, valleys, cold rivers and dark forests. The climate here is harsh and merciless. Its characteristics:

• the air temperature is below zero for most of the year;
• cold winds with gusts;
• fogs in the lowlands;
• heavy snow.

In such conditions, only frost-resistant plants can survive. They will be helped with this:

• strong root system;
• landing next to buildings, structures, on the leeward side of the mountains;
• winter shelter with agrofibre or other similar material, sprinkling with snow.

The Urals, as a region, can be divided into 3 parts. Each of them has its own characteristics, which you need to focus on when choosing ornamental shrubs.

• North of the Urals - the Komi Republic, Yugra. In addition to the above, they are characterized by the scarcity of soil with an abundance of rocks, swampiness and cold winters. For planting, only frost-resistant plants are suitable: honeysuckle, rhododendron, juniper, mountain ash.

• The center of the Urals is a region of the Sverdlovsk region. The climate here is not so harsh, so the species diversity can be expanded. Shrubs such as hawthorn, spirea, vesicle, viburnum, and derain are suitable for planting.

• South of the Urals. Expanding the boundaries of choice. However, there is also a problem - the dry summer, during which you will need to ensure your plants are watered abundantly. For cultivation, you can purchase a snowberry, garden jasmine, forsythia.

• The climate of Siberia is known for its harshness. Therefore, the frost resistance of shrubs is also very important here, as well as those periods in which they bloom and bear fruit. In addition to the above, suitable for the north and center of the Urals, in Siberia, you can grow budley, weigela, hydrangea.

Planting and transplanting of ornamental shrubs, regardless of their variety, should be carried out in the autumn. In winter, this is quite problematic because of the frozen soil and the danger of freezing the root system. In the summer, as a rule, gardeners have other concerns. In the spring, planting, by the way, is also possible, however, you need to have time to do this before the buds begin to bloom on the seedlings. In general, autumn is perfect for planting shrubs and trees.

It is better to plant plants until mid-October. The soil at this time is still quite warm and pliable. If cold weather comes early in your region, when planting, sprinkle the root system with a thick layer of mulch from peat, fallen leaves, sawdust, etc. When choosing seedlings, pay special attention to its appearance - the roots should be whole, strong, not dried out, branches and the trunk should not be "crooked". Young trees can be sold in containers, with a lump of earth on the roots or with a bare root system.

Those that are sold in containers are of two types: grown in them or planted there for sale. If possible, inspect the roots of such plants. It so happens that due to the limited space, they become too lumpy, intertwined with each other, grow into a pot. This is very bad, you should not purchase these seedlings.

If there is a clod of earth on the rhizomes, this indicates that the plant was grown in the open field and removed from there for sale. Often this lump is wrapped in cellophane or something similar for safety. Pay attention to its size in relation to the seedling - they should be proportional. The lump should not be too bulky or too small.

Sometimes it happens that a bush is dug out in front of you. Then hurry to land him on the site. When transporting it to the location, wrap the rhizome with cellophane or a cloth bag. Let's consider in more detail the scheme of actions when planting bushes.

• First, prepare a seat. Remove weeds, clear a piece of land.
• Place a piece of oilcloth or cellophane next to the selected "patch" in order to put soil on it.
• Now dig a hole. It should be about 2 times the root system of the plant and be longer than the longest root. You can “try on” its size by dropping the seedling there, even if it is still in the container or bag.
• Loosen the soil at the bottom of the dug hole, pierce its sides with a fork.
• Pour a small amount of compost or peat into the hole, then top up the soil that has formed as a result of digging. If your soil contains excess clay, you can add some sand.
• Fertilize the planting site.

• Since the seedling is still small and weak, it will need support. To do this, drive a small stake into the middle of the hole.
• As a rule, it is customary to plant a tree at the same depth level from which it was removed. You can easily determine this level by looking at the base of its trunk. There should be a dark streak from the past soil. To comply with this recommendation, place a stick across the landing hole. When you lower the plant there, make sure that the strip on the trunk is slightly higher than this stick (since the soil will shrink after watering).
• Remove the seedling from the packaging or container. Align its roots to the diameter of the hole. If there is a lump of soil on the roots, place it next to the hammered stake. To adjust planting depth, add or subtract soil. If the root system of your seedling is bare, pour some earth into the hole and put the roots on it.
• Now you can carefully bury the hole with the prepared soil, doing it evenly on all sides, filling all the empty spaces.

• Place an earthen "fence" about 10 centimeters high along the edge of the buried hole - it will help to retain moisture when watering.
• Water for the first time. It should be abundant. After absorbing moisture, lay a layer of mulch around the tree.
• Tie the seedling to a pre-hammered stake. Step back about 25-30 centimeters from the ground. Do not use wire or other coarse materials as a tie; instead, use a cloth or rubber cord.
• If the selected type of shrub suggests this, prune it. Remove all dried branches, bark particles.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant the plant to a more suitable place. Transplant stages.

• Cut off any damaged branches. If the crown of the shrub has managed to grow, tie it with a rope so as not to damage it during transplantation.
• Make a marking of the digging site - to do this, circle the tree with a shovel about the diameter of its crown.
• Start digging. Dig the plant in a circle first, without going too deep into the soil. If you come across roots, chop them off.
• Next, slip the shovel under the rhizome, cut off the too deep roots. Take an oilcloth or a piece of cellophane, place it under the separated earthen lump with rhizome. Tie the edges of the film around the barrel.
• Pull the bush out of the hole, holding it by the cellophane wrapping.
• Drop him to a new place according to the above algorithm.

So, here's a new tenant settled on your personal plot. You, of course, understand that now the most difficult thing begins, namely, the correct and timely care for it. Well, read the article further and learn.

Held twice a year. The first must be carried out in the spring, when the shrubs enter the active phase of growth and they need energy for this. Fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sulfur, manganese help in obtaining it. With their help, the plant "gathers juice" for growing leaves, flowers, and after - and fruiting. The second feeding is carried out in late summer - early autumn. It is needed to prepare the plant for winter.

First, understand that only young trees need abundant watering in the first few years of their growth and rooting. Adult shrubs do not need a lot of moisture, some of them are even harmful when there is an excess.It is necessary to start watering the seedlings after the positive temperature is finally established on the street. This usually happens from mid-April to early May. It is advisable to do this in the morning (before 10 o'clock) and in the evening (after 18) using water at room temperature (from +16 to +22).

Most often, you will have to water the plantings during the period of active growth (May-June). Watering is done once a week by pouring 5-20 liters of water under the plant at a time (the volume depends on the size of the bush). To avoid premature evaporation of water, after watering, you can overlay the bush with mulch, for example, pieces of peat.

At the beginning of summer, many plantings, including ornamental shrubs, begin to suffer from powdery mildew damage to the foliage. Disease is always easier to prevent than to cure, so let's figure out how to protect your green spaces from this scourge. Preventive treatment includes spraying with Rovral. It is held in early June. If you manage to do this, you will forget about powdery mildew for the whole summer. Diseased plants are treated with the formulations "Narcissus B" or "Narcissus C". If you have not found them on sale, then pay attention to others containing copper.

In addition to powdery mildew, ornamental shrubs are also threatened by other pathogens and harmful insects. But prevention gives much better results than any treatment. Therefore, when purchasing certain varieties of bushes for planting in a personal plot, check out the list of parasites that threaten this particular type of plant.

Correctly done pruning of ornamental shrubs can prolong the life of plants and significantly improve their appearance. But for this you need to understand how and when to do it. The pruning time is as follows.

• Bushes that bloom in winter and spring are pruned after flowering. Then, in June, fresh young shoots appear on them, which will bloom next year.
• If your seedlings bloom in the summer-autumn season, respectively, prune them either in late October - early November, or in March.

There are several types of trimming ornamental shrubs.

• For crown formation. Produced to maintain the required plant size and shape.
• For rejuvenation. It is needed to stimulate the appearance of young twigs and shoots.
• Recovery. It is required for bushes that have not received proper care for a long time or have suffered as a result of adverse weather conditions.
• For treatment. Needed by those plants that have survived the disease. When it is carried out, all dried and diseased branches are cut off, dried flowers, leaves are removed; a new crown shape is formed.

Of course, all ornamental shrubs cannot be “cut one size fits all”. Each type of these green space has its own characteristics that should be considered when pruning. Thus, plants with hanging branches (for example, ash, acacia) are susceptible to their rapid denudation. In order to stimulate the emergence of new branches, bare branches are removed.

Bushes with variegated leaves need to be cut when you see that the shoots have begun to be colored uniformly. Only then will they retain the multi-colored color of the crown. Evergreens need to be cut less often than those that shed their leaves. But if you have formed a hedge from them, you simply have to cut them in order to maintain its shape. This should be done at the end of flowering.

Winter cold is a test for plants. And an amateur gardener who cares about his green spaces, must make sure that they survive this period in relative comfort in a timely manner.

• As mentioned earlier, in the fall it is necessary to feed the bushes with preparations containing potassium, phosphorus and calcium. And when the first frosts hit, hilling.
• Most of the shrubs intended for landscape design are adapted to Russian realities and do not suffer too much from the cold, however, there are some that are more thermophilic. If you have one on the site, sprinkle straw and dry leaves around their trunk.
• You can also add a layer of organic mulch on top. It is recommended to cover the tree itself with a cover made of burlap or fleece - but by no means cellophane!
• Currant, raspberry, blackberry and similar shrubs need to be freed from dried shoots and branches, loosen the soil around them, fertilize it with humus.

• You can also design some kind of greenhouse. To do this, pegs are driven in around the plantings, a film is stretched on them or cardboard shields are fixed. It is recommended to attach these "walls" to the ground, so that cold air currents do not see through under them and the plants do not freeze.
• If coniferous representatives of ornamental shrubs grow on your site, they can be tied with twine so that branches do not break under the weight of snow. If you do not want to do this, periodically shake the snow mass down.
• Plants with buds (for example, rosaceae) must be huddled and covered with leaves.
• In general, when preparing a personal plot for the winter cold, carry out its thorough processing: remove weeds, loosen the soil. Stock up on covering and garters. Then in the spring all your green friends will wake up from hibernation and will be ready to please you again.

Ornamental shrub plantings can be used:

• for the formation of hedges;

• for single plantings that delight the eye with flowering or an unusual crown shape;

• to create beautiful compositions in landscape design.

There are a lot of examples of such plantings in summer cottages on the Internet, for every taste and for any place of residence. And what types of plants to choose - your taste and your imagination will tell you.

For tips on choosing shrubs, see the video below.