Archive for the shrub tag

What is a good flowering shrub for a fence line?

March 7, 2023 • Leave a Comment

I am looking for a flowering shrub to go along a 6-foot high white fence. I would like it to grow to 3 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet tall.

There are several possibilities that can be maintained to size with relative ease. Planting in front of a white fence reflects heat on the plant. That heat can accelerate flower production but also dry out the soil sooner. Flowering shrubs need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight each day and consistent watering. Use mulch to minimize water loss. The soil should be loamy and enriched with compost.

Flowering shrub - Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri 'Palibin') Photo: Bailey Nurseries — **Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) Photo: Bailey Nurseries**

Dwarf Korean lilacs (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) bloom mid to late spring with highly fragrant pink flowers. Shear after bloom to maintain the 3- by 3-foot dimension. The dark green glossy foliage provides a nice contrast to the white fence and can behave as a deciduous hedge. If you want a little height, arrowwood viburnums (Viburnum dentatum) have strong upright growth and flat white flowers in spring. Blue Muffin (‘Christom’) grows 3 to 5 feet tall, with blue-black berries that persist if not eaten by birds, and shows orange to burgundy red foliage in fall. Like the lilacs, hand pruning and thinning after bloom will keep the height at the desired level every other year.

Examine the wonderful single and double Knock Out roses. Introduced in 2000, they have become a mainstay in the summer garden, producing flowers continuously from spring until hard frost. Extremely hardy and disease-resistant, they live up to their name.

ELSEWHERE: Viburnum dentatum

What is a good choice for a privacy shrub?

February 8, 2021 • Leave a Comment

What is a good choice for a privacy shrub in southwestern Michigan? How early in the spring can I plant it?

When seeking privacy, plant more than one plant. A trio works well as they balance each other, forming a community rather than an “orphan” look. Plant three of one species laid out in a shallow triangle so they fill in around each other aesthetically. Straight rows look artificial. You can also vary the trio with a single specimen for the center point and flank each side with another species.

For example, center a leatherleaf viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum)with its soft, oval, gray-green leaves and flank it with native ninebarks (Physocarpus opulifolius) with burgundy leaves and peeling bark. Both are deciduous in zone 5. Viburnum tops out at about 10 feet and the ninebark tops out about 8 feet. They both bloom spring to early summer, have considerable winter interest, grow relatively quickly, and deer don’t find them appealing.

Another possibility is centering an evergreen such as ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae, which is an open pyramidal evergreen and less appealing to deer. They are tolerant of various soil types, but prefer good drainage. An evergreen paired with deciduous shrubs can get you more “instant” privacy than waiting for three identical shrubs to reach maturity.

Flank the evergreen with the ninebark variety Amber Jubilee which has gold-orange overtones in the leaf veins, or ‘Summer Wine,’ which features a dark burgundy color. By creating a group of compatible plants, spaced apart according to their mature width, you have something attractive to look at while achieving a privacy screen.

Related: Tree and shrub pruning tips

What is the difference between own-root and grafted roses?

May 7, 2018 • Leave a Comment

What is the difference between own-root and grafted roses? Is one better than the other?

Own-root roses are produced by rooting and growing the cuttings of desired varieties. The types produced by this method often include Antiques, Flower Carpet, Meidiland and many Shrub varieties. Most own-root roses do not need ground level protection in winter once they are established.

Budded (or grafted) roses are produced by inserting a bud of a desired variety onto a vigorous rootstock. The types produced by budding include Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, Climbing and English varieties, as well as a few from the Antique and Shrub groups. Budded roses should be planted with their swollen bud union 1 to 2 inches below the surface, plus have winter protection each year to help them survive our cold Michigan climate.

Few rose varieties are produced using both methods, so the question of one method being “better” than the other really does not apply. Since the propagation method relates to the type of rose, your choice is really determined by the rose producers and their experience of which one works best for that particular variety.

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