Featured Plants : bush

This Golden Globe Arborvitae Doesn't Get Out of Control

patti-nhn — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:10:00 GMT

The Golden Globe Arborvitae is known for its attractive round shape, similar to a globe. It will keep its shape as it grows to maturity without growing out of control. This bush is an evergreen and will mature to a height of 3 to 4 feet and will spread from 3 to 4 feet wide. Its foliage is colorful with its bright green interior and the golden yellow coloring on its edges. The foliage is dense so will fill in nicely. It does produce cones that are shaped like an urn and are about 1/2" long. These cones will mature in autumn and have a nice reddish brown color. In the winter the coloration of the foliage will become a very attractive bronze.

The Golden Globe is hardy from zone 4 to zone 8 and is easy care. They prefer moist, well drained soil and humid weather with plenty of rain. If the area is hot and dry, you will want to do a deep soak on a regular basis before the soil has a chance to dry out. It should be planted in full sun to partial shade. These bushes are most often planted close together and used as hedges or borders. They can also be grown on their own as an accent plant. They will make a great background plant as well.

Technito Arborvitae Makes A Great Evergreen Hedge

patti-nhn — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:11:00 GMT

Looking for a tall evergreen bush for a hedge or as a single specimen? The Arborvitae Technito fits that bill. It matures from 5 to 6 feet tall and will spread from 2 to 3 feet wide. It is an evergreen so will continue with its dark green color throughout the winter. It is similar to the Techny variety however the Techny is much bigger at 15 to 20 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. The dark green color of the Techny and the fact that it does retain its wonderful color into the winter are two of the similarities. The Technito is very dense and does not need much trimming. You will also enjoy the reddish-brown bark that is furrowed adding lots of interest. The foliage has a texture that is medium/fine making it a little softer than some other Arborvitae's can be. This Technito has an attractive pyramidal shape and can be used as a screen for privacy, you would probably want at least two depending on the space you have available.

The Technito requires well-drained soil and it does best in a very fertile soil. The soil should be moist and not left to dry out between watering. Technito does best in sun to light shade and has a slow to moderate growth rate. This is a low-maintenance bush that is hardy from zone 3 to 7. It can handle the cold weather very well. The soft look of this Arborvitae is very pleasing as an accent to your landscape.

The Skybound Arborvitae Is Tall And Hardy

patti-nhn — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:43:00 GMT

The Skybound Arborvitae is an evergreen that is extremely hardy. It can be grown as a small tree or as a shrub and due to its tall columnar shape it is often used for a screening hedge or as a tall accent for a house or building. It can even be planted under power lines. It is very attractive with its dark green foliage that is very rich looking. The Skybound's leaves do not change color in the fall and their flowers are not showy but that is not necessary for this beautiful evergreen. It will mature from 15 to 18 feet tall and will spread from 3 to 4 feet wide. This Arborvitae has a low canopy with about 1 foot of clearance below.

Skybound is low maintenance, does not require pruning and does best in full sun to partial shade. It is a slow grower so will take some time to get fully established. It is hardy from zone 2 to zone 7 so can handle cold temperatures as well. Moist, well drained soil is needed. You will want to watch to make sure the soil does not dry out and you will want to water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist. Your neighbors will be jealous of your beautiful shrub/tree, whatever size you wish it to mature to. Evergreens are often considered a great addition to any landscape.

Royal Purple Smoketree Is Reliable

patti-nhn — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:31:00 GMT

The Royal Purple Smoketree (Smokebush) Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' is one of the best known of the smoketree/smokebush family. There are those that consider them trees and others consider them a bush. It gets its name from the smoky-purple-beige flowers that bloom in mid summer. Besides having a smoky color they grow in plumes that have a soft smoky appearance. The leaves on the tree will be a rich burgundy color throughout the growing season. They are quite attractive with their upright growth pattern. They are reliable in their hardiness and in their foliage.

The Royal Purple Smoketree (Smokebush) will mature to about 8 to 10 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide. It does require full sun or the burgundy leaves will have more green to them than purple. It is a hardy tree/bush and will grow from zones 5 to 8. It does prefer moist soil but is widely adaptable to the type of soil. It doesn't take up a lot of space and is very attractive. It can be pruned to 6 to 8 inches tall in the winter and then it will produce long stems with striking oversized foliage in the next growing season. This makes a great accent or patio plant.

Northland Blueberries Have A Wild Berry Flavor!

patti-nhn — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:10:00 GMT

The Northland Blueberry Vaccinium 'Northland' produces a small dark blue fruit with excellent flavor that is on the wild side. It is the most cold hardy of the highbush variety of blueberries. It is cold hardy from zone 4 to zone 7. This Northland is a very ornamental bush as it has nice green foliage, bell shaped white flowers in the spring, blue berries that ripen in the summer, orange leaves in the fall and reddish stems in the winter. What more could you ask for in year-round interest? Plus you have the wonderful fruits to enjoy in so many ways, pies, jams, jellies, fruit smoothies and fruit salads just to name a few. They are also full of vitamins and bioflavanoids for healthy eating.

You should plant in soil that is organically rich, you can add organic matter to soil that isn't quite up to par. Blueberries need moist and well drained soil along with full sun. The Northland is self fertile so doesn't need a pollinator, however, having more than one plant will tend to increase the amount of the harvest. This plant will mature from 20 to 40 inches tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It would make a good shrub border. You could save money as well by growing your own blueberries.

Shadblow Serviceberry Fruits And Fall Color

patti-nhn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:19:00 GMT

The Shadblow Serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis is a large Serviceberry shrub that will grow 20 to 25 feet high and 10 to 15 feet wide. It produces a reddish purple edible fruit that is mainly used for jams or jellies but can be used in any fruit based recipe. Before the fruit, it will produce snowy white flowers and the foliage is a dark green color which turns gold in the fall. The branches grow in an upright fashion that gives it a uniform look.

The Shadblow does require full sun but is widely adaptable for soil. It is considered a deer resistant shrub. There are no guarantees that deer won't persist if hungry enough, but, in general they will keep their distance. The birds will like the fruit as well so if you want to preserve it for yourself you will want to harvest it before the birds get to it. This is a great overall shrub for your yard.

Prairie Flame Shining Sumac Compact And Beautiful

patti-nhn — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:31:00 GMT

If you have been wanting to try growing a Sumac but have been held back due to the size of them then this one is right up your alley. The Prairie Flame Shining Sumac Rhus copallina var. latifolia 'Morton' is compact and will grow to only about 12 feet tall as opposed to most Sumac that are up to 25 feet tall. It would be easy to fit into your landscaping with flowers growing nearby or taller trees. The best thing about Sumac, in my opinion, is their awesome color, especially in the fall. This Sumac will fit into your area much easier than the bigger varieties.

The Prairie Flame has dark green and glossy leaves. In the fall they will turn to a fire-engine red that is most beautiful. They will have creamy-white flower spikes in late summer but they do not set fruit as this is a male clone. Prairie Flame is hardy to drought and winter cold down to zone 5 and possibly even into zone 4. You will want to make sure it is not planted where there has been verticillium wilt as it is susceptible to that. If you want a lot of pizzaz in your landscape, try this small Sumac variety.

Cutleaf Smooth Sumac Is Also Beautiful This Time Of Year!

patti-nhn — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:09:00 GMT

I just wrote a blog on Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac "Rhus typhina 'laciniata' " and thought I might as well write another blog for the Cutleaf Smooth Sumac "Rhus glabra 'Laciniata' " as it is just a beautiful in these cool, crisp days of fall. You will find that the Cutleaf Smooth Sumac looks just like a Cutleaf Staghorn Sumac "Rhus typhina 'laciniata' " in most ways except it does not have the "antler" shaped stems or the "velvety fuzz" that are on the young stems of the Staghorn.

Sumac's awesome fall colors are also in Yellows, Oranges and Reds. The spring foliage is green. You will generally see these grown in huge clumps, they make great plants on hillsides and as hedges. These bushes will grow where many others won't and can grow from zones 3-9. They are very hardy and birds like the seeds and the fruits that come on in the summer and last into the late fall.

This Cutleaf Smooth Sumac "Rhus glabra 'Laciniata' " will grow to 10-15 foot tall and about 10-15 foot wide. It is a very rapid grower and grows well in just about any type of soil. It is very easy to care for. They are a good cover for deer and other wildlife as well as the birds who will also eat on the berries.

Cutleaf Smooth Sumac can be short-lived with a lifespan of about 20-30 years. Clones of the plant can grow for centuries. They are known to reproduce by root suckers. It is a beautiful and I think graceful shrub all year round. And you can't beat the fall colors!

Cotoneaster Hedge Is Deer Resistant

patti-nhn — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:42:00 GMT

One of the things that attracted me to the Cotoneaster Hedge 'Cotoneaster Lucidus' is the many attributes it offers. I like that it has something new happening with it all year long. Not only can it be grown as a single shrub or as a hedge, it also has pink flowers in the spring and red berries that turn black during the summer. Following that, in the fall it sports beautiful yellow to red leaves. In addition it is deer resistant and will also attract birds.

It can grow up to 8-10 foot tall and is very dense so should be able to keep the neighbors pets as well as the deer from wandering into your yard, they would also be good at hiding anything that you would not like to have in your view. It can also be a decent windbreak if you allow it to grow to it's full height. If you don't prune it back as a hedge it will then branch out into an oval type shape. The Cotoneaster Hedge also has a nice brown color to it's branches which makes it attractive in the winter.

This is probably one of the most versatile bushes around. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with what it can do for you!

Here's a Gold Nugget for You!

patti-nhn — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:31:00 GMT

It seems like gold has had the attention of the world almost since the beginning of it's creation. The color of gold is often considered warm, like the gold flames of a fire. It is most prized in jewelry and to award someone for a job well done. In the garden, it can have the same effect.

May I suggest a bush that will be prized in your landscape? The "Dart's Gold" Ninebark bush fits this description. The golden yellow leaves of this versatile shrub are bright and colorful. They are a ray of sunshine! They are deciduous so will lose their leaves to reveal papery looking branches which is attractive in the winter as well. If you are a bird watcher, there are also red berries to attract them to your yard.

Dart's Gold Physo. o. 'Dart's Gold'' generally grow about 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide so would also make a nice border plant in your yard or around or behind a flower garden. They are low maintenance and can handle dry conditions. If you want to add some sunshine, plan on a few of these bushes in your landscape.

Intense Red Color! Burning Bush - Grove Dwarf

patti-nhn — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:52:00 GMT

The Burning Bush - Grove Dwarf, Euonymous alatus 'Grove Compactus' is highly desired for it's intense scarlet red color in the fall. It is also extremely versatile on it's own or as a hedge or border plant. It looks great with coniferous evergreens and will brighten any dark corner of your yard or home. Its spring flowers are green and inconspicuous. This bush loves full sun which helps it get its great fall color.

This plant has been used in front of light-colored walls of buildings and statues for it's visual impact. It is deciduous (loses its leaves) which reveals a corky ridged stem that gives you visual pleasure during the winter. They are also great for use among other plants in your garden. They can grow 5-6 feet tall and about 6-8 feet wide. This would be a great addition to your home that you can enjoy year-round!