Decorative shrubsdecorate and enrich the garden at different times of the year. They can delight with their habit, color of leaves, flowers and fruits. Some of them areshrubs that are very easy to grow , with moderate requirements. Thanks to them, we will be able to create a beautiful and well-kept garden without spending a lot of time caring for the greenery. Here are the10 easy-to-grow ornamental shrubsthat work well in most gardens!
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - forsythia
Fig. pixabay.com
1. Intermediate forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia)
Intermediate forsythia blooms in early spring (March to April), as one of the first ornamental shrubs, enlivening the gray garden at this time. The shrub looks very impressive because numerous flowers of intense yellow color appear on the branches before the leaves develop. The bushes are tall (2-3 m), branchy. Forsythia tolerates low temperatures well, likes sunny or semi-shaded locations. It blooms more abundantly in a sunny position. It prefers light, well-drained and fertile soils. It does not like excessive moisture and too dry soils. The bushes look beautiful when planted both individually and in groups. They can be used to create decorative hedges.
2. Sweet jasmine (Philadelphus coromarius)
The fragrant jasmine plant growing in the garden enchants with the abundance of large, light cream flowers and their intense scent, especially in the evenings. It blooms from May to June. Jasmine shrubs reach 1 to 3 m in height.They are resistant to frost, they like sunny positions (they bloom more abundantly). They don't have high soil requirements, they just don't like too dry soil. These ornamental shrubs, which are easy to grow, can be planted individually, in groups, and can be used to create hedges and rows.
Easy to grow ornamental shrubs - jasmine
Fig. © Katarzyna Żywot-Górecka
3. Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata)
These tall ornamental shrubs (4-6 m tall) bloom from May to June. The plants bloom profusely, the flowers are white, pink, red or maroon. At the end of summer, red spherical fruits appear that stay on the twigs until the end of autumn. The two-necked hawthorn has very low soil requirements, is long-lived, resistant to frost, drought and air pollution. Likes sunny or semi-shaded positions. Hawthorn bushes can be planted individually, as ornamental plants, they can be used to create avenues and hedges.The cultivar 'Paul's Scarlet' is adorned with beautiful red flowers.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - hawthorn
Fig. © Katarzyna Żywot-Górecka
4. Garden hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Garden hydrangea is sometimes called a chameleon plant because it changes the color of flowers depending on the acidity of the soil. We can regulate the soil reaction by ourselves using appropriate fertilization. Our hydrangea will bloom in various shades of red on alkaline soils, blue and purple on acid soils. The shrub grows up to 1 m and blooms from August to September. The inflorescences are magnificent, very decorative. The plant requires fertile, humus, slightly acidic and moist soil. It does not tolerate heavy and clay soils. Likes sunny and semi-shaded positions. Bushes can be planted singly and in groups. They look especially beautiful against a green background of grasses and conifers, along paths and other garden elements.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - hydrangea
Fig. pixabay.com
5. Thunberg's barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
The decoration of this thorny, decorative shrub is attractively colored leaves (depending on the variety, they can be yellow, green or purple-red) and oval, red fruits that appear in early autumn and remain on the twigs until the end of winter. The fruits look beautiful against the background of snow. Shrubs with hanging shoots grow up to 1.5 m in height and are highly branched. They grow well in fertile, loamy soils. They also tolerate weaker, sandy soils and tolerate excessive soil salinity. They are frost resistant. When planting shrubs, choose a sunny and sheltered position. Thunberg's barberry blooms in May and June, the flowers are tiny, yellow. Bushes look nice when planted individually and in compositions. You can create a perfect hedge with them.It will secure the vicinity of the house thanks to thorny, difficult to cross branches, and will also intercept air pollution (e.g. from the road) to which it is resistant.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - barberry
Fig. pixabay.com
6. Cotoneaster horizontalis
Creeping Irga is a short (10 to 15 cm), sprawling, creeping shrub. Throughout the winter, it is decorated with red, shiny, round fruits and small evergreen leaves. Irga blooms in May and June, the flowers are small, white. The plant prefers light, well-drained, calcareous soils. Shrubs can grow on rocky, dry soils, they tolerate the lack of moisture quite well. Irga requires a bright, sunny position, is resistant to frost and air pollution. It grows very slowly. Irgi bushes look beautiful when planted in a rock garden, near walls, on slopes and on grass. They can also be planted in containers.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - Cotoneaster
Fig. pixabay.com
7. Snowflake (Symphoricarpos albus)
The white snow ginger is a garden decoration especially in autumn and winter thanks to its white, fleshy, round fruit. The shrubs growing up to 1.5 m are undemanding and very durable. They are resistant to drought, frost and air pollution, they can grow in poor soils and in shady positions. This makes them ideal, easy-to-grow ornamental shrubs, often recommended as ornamental shrubs that grow quickly into shade.The snowgun blooms from June to September, the flowers are inconspicuous, light pink. Bushes can grow singly, in clumps, you can create a hedge from them. If we have places in the garden where other plants do not want to grow, e.g. on slopes, under trees, in the shade, we can successfully plant a snowball there, which grows well in all, even the most unfavorable conditions.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - snowball
Fig. © Katarzyna Żywot-Górecka
8. Vinegar Sumac (Rhus Typhina)
The vinegar sumac is an original, decorative ornamental shrub that is easy to grow. It can also take the shape of a tree. It looks beautiful in the garden, giving it a slightly exotic character. Reaches considerable dimensions (up to 6 m in height). The plant is decorated with an umbrella-shaped crown, large feathery leaves, original inflorescences and brown-red seed heads that persist throughout the winter. In autumn, the leaves take on intense orange-red colors (they resemble flames). Sumac grows best in dry and well-drained soils. It is resistant to frost, drought and air pollution, requires a sunny position. Sumacs look beautiful when growing next to the fence. We can also create rows of them or plant them individually in a well-exposed place in the garden.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - vinegar sumac
Fig. pixabay.com
9. Western Thuja (Thuja occidentalis)
Western thuja, popularly referred to as thuja, is a garden decoration all year round, also in winter. The slowly growing shrub forms a narrow, conical or columnar crown, taking a cylindrical shape over the years. It grows up to 15 m in height. The needles that make up the scales are dark green in color. Shrubs require fertile, well-drained and moderately moist soil. The position can be sunny or semi-shaded. In the sun, thuja grow better and color better. Plants are not harmed by wind or frost, they are highly resistant to pests and diseases. Thuja can be planted individually or in groups. Hedges and rows around the house, garden and along the road look very decorative. It is worth adding that they are available in many interesting varieties - from small spherical ones to tall ones with a narrow columnar shape.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - thuja
Fig. pixabay.com
Bush cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)
Up to 1m tall, branched, fast-growing shrub blooms continuously from May to October, so it is worth planting it in the garden. The flowers are yellow, white, orange, pink or red depending on the variety, flowering is particularly abundant in June and July.
Ornamental shrubs easy to grow - cinquefoil
Fig. Neelix, Public Domain, WikimediaCommons
