Types of Landscape Shrubbery

Dwarf Burning Bush

• The dwarf burning bush normally will stay under 4 feet in height and be as wide as 5 feet. It has the ability to grow in full sun as long as the soil drains well. It is drought tolerant and among its assets are the fall colors of its leaves. They will change from a dark green to a vibrant red as autumn sets in, a trait that gives the plant its name. The reddish-orange berries it produces attracts birds as well. You can use this type of shrubbery to form low hedges if you so desire.

Rose of Sharon

• The Rose of Sharon is a treelike shrub in appearance but stays small enough so that you can manage it with simple pruning. The flowers will bloom in different colors according to the species you select and range from white to purple. The Rose of Sharon, when planted closely enough together, forms a visually pleasing screen to allow your privacy. It will grow in full sun or some shade and prefers alkaline soil. Some cultivars, such as the 'Blue Bird' variety, feature delightful sky blue blossoms in late summer.

Common Boxwood

• While some common boxwood may grow to heights of between 15 and 20 feet, much smaller cultivars are available as specimen plants. Specimen plants are the focal point of your garden or lawn area and common boxwood, with its evergreen leaves, will attract plenty of attention. Low-growing cultivars like the 3-foot-tall 'Glencoe' or the 2-foot-high 'Green Gem' will highlight a garden. The taller 'Green Velvet' variety could make an effective hedge. Common boxwood is subject to diseases such as wood decay and insect pests like the boxwood leafminer.

Lilacs

• Your eyes and your nose will appreciate a lilac bush, one of the most popular of all landscape bushes. The lilac now comes in many cultivars. Since powdery mildew is one of a lilac’s biggest enemies, you should ask at your local nursery about a type that resists this disease. Lilacs grow as tall as 15 feet in some cases and can go on a patio, next to your home, in your garden, border the woods or form a screen or hedge. Their fragrant blossoms are a sign of spring and you will be able to cut some and bring them inside as cut flowers. Lilacs need full sun and can withstand alkaline soil.