Trees and Shrubs, Bones of the Garden

Japanese Maple

The majestic trees found in our native landscapes have made more than a few jaws drop in their day. It is hard not to be impressed by towering canopies several stories high and enormous trunks that you cannot wrap your arms around.

While most of us do not have the space (or time!) to enjoy cultivating these huge botanical wonders, we can grow some of the more appropriately sized trees and shrubs, which provide significant impact in the nonstop, ever growing garden. Trees and shrubs are the ultimate structural plants. They create the framework, or the bones, of the the garden. They offer architectural stems, branches, and forms that are present in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Trees and shrubs can even wow us with beautiful blooms, attractive leaves, interesting fruit, and handsome bark.

Because woody plants require more space and can take longer to mature than herbaceous plants, it is a good idea to pick and plant your trees and shrubs before planting anything else. It is much easier to place them in beds and borders when you do not have to worry about stepping on or disturbing existing annuals, perennials, bulbs or tropicals.

There is no shortage of trees and shrubs out there to choose form. Look for options that offer long-lasting or multiple-seasonal attributes. When it comes to woody plants, deciduous selections provide the most "bling". Do not forget to throw a few evergreens in to the mix, however, which will settle in as a reliable, year round back-bone to the garden.