Top Benefits of Growing Shrubs in Your Garden | Lifescape Colorado (2024)

FAQs

What are shrubs good for? ›

Shrubs are an instrumental part of every garden's ecosystem. They provide shade, improve soil stability, enhance air quality and create habitats for all types of wildlife. Of course, shrubs and small trees are also beautiful to look at, especially when you choose varieties that add seasonal interest to your landscape.

Given the vast global distribution of shrubs, they are important for climate control, soil stabilization and production, ecosystem water balance, carbon uptake and storage, and for many associated species such as grazing and browsing mammals and livestock, birds, fungi, and invertebrates.

Shrubs grown in pots can be planted anytime spring through late summer (mid- August to early September, depending on elevation) in order to allow some root establishment before the ground freezes. rodent damage, avoid applying mulch directly in contact with tree trunks and woody stems.

Common varieties ideal for adding privacy to your landscaping most often include evergreen trees and shrubs like arborvitae, junipers, or spruce trees, which retain their foliage year-round, offering continuous privacy.

Shrubs, the name doesn't inspire much, but they give a garden interest for three or four seasons and are low-maintenance. It can't get much better than that! If you choose the right shrubs for your region, they can add color, shade, create habitats for wildlife, and even improve soil.

A shrub is viewed as taller than a bush but not as tall as a tree (although there are tall shrubs that are also referred to as trees) and has thicker foliage than a bush. A shrub is commonly groomed, pruned, and shaped, while a bush is often left to grow wild.

As plants photosynthesize, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, thus helping to mitigate climate change. Additionally, trees and shrubs act as filters, trapping airborne pollutants and particulate matter, improving the overall air quality in their vicinity.

Disadvantages/Problems

Trees and shrubs may be expensive to purchase and establish. They may also be more subject to theft than materials used in other practices.

Shrubs are also important in creating diverse and sustainable ecosystems. Without shrubs, many habitats would be dominated by a few tree species, which would limit the variety of wildlife species that could survive in the area.

Shrubs can attract insects with seasonal flowerings and may attract ants by the presence of aphids that are feeding on the shrubs. Densely planted shrubs with foliage that extend all the way to the ground can make an attractive home for rodents and other pests looking for harborage.

Should you plant shrubs next to house? ›

Don't: Plant shrubs too close to the house.

Is this shrub too close? (Yes.) Avoid laying mulch and planting shrubs too close to your home – not just because plants will come into contact with and damage the siding, but because shrubs retain moisture.

Apply 5 gallons two times per month for a newly planted shrub. Small established shrubs (less than 3 feet tall) should receive 5 gallons monthly. Large established shrubs (more than 6 feet) require 18 gallons on a monthly basis. Decrease amounts to account for precipitation.

Yep. For the most part if you water well you can easily and successfully plant trees, shrubs, and perennials in summer. Water deeply every other day for the first few weeks. After this time reduce to about 2-3 times per week depending on your climate, soil, etc.

The toughest shrub may be Japanese barberry (shown below). These durable plants come in a wide range of colors including purple, yellow and green. Barberry can withstand heat, drought and poor soil. Its stems have sharp spines that make it deer-proof.

Cottonwood trees are one of the fastest growing species, not only in Colorado but across all of North America, rapidly increasing in height after being planted. They can add upwards of six-feet annually and when mature reach well over 100 feet up into the sky.

Even if you have never heard of them, you have very likely seen them in landscapes throughout Northern Colorado and the Front Range. Boxwood shrubs are highly popular for their low-maintenance, easy-care, drought-tolerant nature.

What small shrubs do well in Colorado? Small shrubs, those six feet or less when mature, that are good for this area include Peking cotoneaster, redtwig and yellowtwig dogwood, buckthorn, buffaloberry, elderberry, lilac, Siberian peashrub, staghorn sumac, mountain mahogany and several viburnums.