Plants are an integral part of any landscaping project to enhance the natural appearance of a property. You can dazzle your front or back yard with plants that have colorful leaves, flowers, or berries. Depending on your selection, your evenings can be spiced up by the fabulous scents from the shrubs. Below is a list of the most popular foundation plants you should consider for your next home improvement project.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf Hydrangea is an all-season shrub, making it a perfect choice for landscaping. Your eyes won’t seize admiring the magnificent cone-shaped flowers of this shrub. It can grow to six feet high and spread even further. You can combine Oakleaf Hydrangea with other shrubs for a more exclusive appearance. This plant thrives in moist, well-drained soils.
Smoke Bushes
Also known as a smoke tree, it is a deciduous plant that will complement the beauty of your outdoor space. Smoke Bushes has golden, purple, or green leaves on its multi-stemmed branches. This plant will have creamy-white flowers during the spring season.
Smoke Bushes thrive in climatic zones 4 to 87. The shrubs are perfect for partial and complete sun locations. The shrub will be at its best when exposed to direct sunlight for at least six hours a day. In its initial stages, pruning and trimming aren’t recommended. Upon maturity, you will need to regularly trim the shrub to fit your desired size.
Mountain Laurel
Laurel blossoms well under growing zones 4 to 9. For optimal growth, plant it in well-drained, acidic soil, and provide it with some shade. Mountain Laurel comprises broad-leafed plants like azaleas and rhododendrons. You need to feed this shrub with acidic fertilizers during the spring season. When fully mature, it can grow to 15 feet tall and 14 feet wide.
Common Lilacs
The fragrant scent of this shrub distinguishes it from the rest. When grown in zones 3 to 7, it can blossom and enhance your outdoor beauty. For optimal growth, Common Lilacs need total sunlight exposure. It is advisable to plant this shrub in a slightly elevated area since it requires good drainage. Immediately after planting it, embark on consistent watering and incorporating a layer of mulch. To keep weeds at bay, the mulch should be thick.
For effective disease and pest control, regularly prune your Common Lilacs plant. Ensure the soil is loamy and well-drained. Application of small amounts of fertilizer is recommendable during spring.
North Pole Arborvitae
The North Pole Arborvitae is an upright columnar plant popular among homeowners due to its ability to grow while upright. This plant requires at least six hours of sunlight exposure, especially when young. The soils should be well-drained and you should add minimal fertilizer during spring. The only maintenance you need is average watering. When it matures, the plant can attain a height of 15 feet and a spread of 5 feet.
Rose Bushes
Rose bushes are among the best deciduous plants you can consider. They do well in growing zones 5 to 11. For the rose bushes to flower optimally, you need to expose them to sunlight. It is advisable to plant rose bushes in fall or spring. Fertilizing this plant regularly will provide it with essential nutrients for its growth. Ensure the soil around the plant is consistently moist by regularly watering, more so when the plant is young.
Elegantissima Red Twig
The red twig shrub is ideal for zone 2 to 8 regions. Red twig berries are white and tinged with green and blue colors. Elegantissima’s fall colors are gold, rosy-red, and apricot. It easily adapts to any climatic change, becoming a favorite to many. For maintenance, you must regularly mulch the plant at its early stages. Red twig grows perfectly in well-drained soils.
Blue Star Juniper
This is a needled, evergreen, and dense shrub with attractive silvery-blue foliage. It is a drought-tolerant plant and hence should be grown in sandy soils. Upon maturity, the plant attains a length of 3 feet. It needs maximum sunlight exposure for healthy growth. You also need to water the plant consistently when it is young.
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If you are searching for the perfect plant to incorporate into your landscape, we are ready to assist and help with the heavy liftin and planting at Laborjack. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our professionals and discuss your next landscaping project details.