Shrubs serve many needs in the landscape - for privacy and screening, for edging plants along a path or walkway, to attract birds to the garden, or to enhance the home as foundation plantings. Thankfully, there are shrubs for every landscape situation - whether it’s sun or shade, or wet or dry soil. And with a little planning, you can enjoy 4 seasons of interest from shrubs. Not sure what to plant or how to create a landscape that brings year ‘round enjoyment? Our certified nursery professionals are happy to help you!
Spring bursts into color with popular blooming shrubs such as andromeda, rhododendron, and azalea. Let’s not forget lilacs and the incredible fragrance they add to the garden and as cut bouquets!
Summer’s a wonderful time for flowering shrubs. Clethra, a native plant for poorly-drained soils, attracts butterflies to the garden with its fragrant blooms. And no garden is complete with the addition of hydrangeas. It’s so easy to understand why hydrangeas continue to be one of America’s most beloved plants. Adored for their long seasons of bloom and interest, hydrangeas - can be used in nearly every garden or landscape setting.
Beautiful fall color can be found in the garden and landscape with shrubs such as Stephanandra, Hamamelis, Viburnum and Euonymus. Autumn brings out the best in the ornamental fruits of Callicarpa, Viburnum, Skimmia, Pyracantha and holly. Birds will enjoy the lingering fruits during the winter months.
Let us help you select the right shrubs for all your landscape needs. We’ll gladly provide planting and care information to ensure success and enjoyment for years to come.
Click on the topics below for more information on Shrubs.
Just before many spring-flowering plants put forth their long-awaited display of color… Camellia japonica beats them to the punch with glorious early seasonal blooms. And speaking of blooms – look for varieties that are single, semi-double, double or peony-like in pure white or shades of pinks, reds, and pale yellows.
Considered one of the ‘old standards’ in southern gardens, Japanese camellia can be grown on Long Island in Zone 7 (most of LI is Zone 7, except for a few areas of Suffolk County that are considered 6A). For best results, plant in a sheltered, protected location that affords some partial shade from intense sun. Japanese camellias are well suited for planting around foundations, borders, fences and walls. You can grow camellias in planters, providing that the planters can be left out of doors all year round and there’s adequate room for soil. They are slow growing plants so plan and plant with this in mind.
You’ll be rewarded with healthy happy camellias if you spend time preparing the soil before planting. A soil that is moist, yet well drained; acidic (have the pH tested); and abundant with organic matter is ideal. Most soils need and will benefit from added compost or composted manure, so don’t skimp on soil amendments. Work them in prior to planting.
Helpful tips for growing Japanese camellias: Maintain adequate soil moisture; an inch of water (or rain) per week should be adequate during the growing season. Pay attention to possible summer droughts and water as needed; never allow the soil to go bone dry. Due to their shallow roots, two inches of mulch should be applied over the planting area (but not against the trunk of the plant) to help retain needed soil moisture. A little extra TLC during the winter months can go a long way to protecting those beautiful spring-blooming buds. Consider wrapping plants, especially if in exposed locations, with burlap. In addition, they require little, if any, pruning. If you need to prune, it’s best to do so right after flowering.
Are you looking to add some intoxicating fragrance and color to your spring garden? If so, lilacs (Syringa species) are the plant of choice. A few rules to keep lilacs happy: make certain that your planting soil is slightly acidic (although lilacs are pH adaptable), fertile and well drained. Existing soils should be amended with organic matter such as compost or composted manure. Lilacs should be planted in full sun for best flowering.
There are many varieties to choose from! The color of the flower is determined by the variety. From light to deep shades of purple, we have many to choose from. Some favorites include: Lilac ‘Miss Kim’, Lilac ‘Pocahontas’, and Lilac ‘Sunday’.
We get a lot of questions about when to prune lilacs. The answer: any pruning should be done immediately after flowering. If you wait too long to prune, you’ll remove next year’s flower buds!
Pieris japonica, the Japanese Pieris or Andromeda (as most people call it), is a popular plant found growing in many Long Island gardens.
When considering Pieris japonica for the landscape, proper placement is important! Avoid hot, overexposed sunny locations that can cause problems with Lacebug, an insidious pest of Pieris. Better to plant where Japanese Pieris has some escape from the intensity of summer afternoon sun; partial shade is preferred. Think of Pieris as an under story shrub and plant accordingly. Soils: Acidic, moist yet well-drained soils are a must (avoid soils that are poorly drained). To improve existing soils, amend with organic matter or compost prior to planting. Holly-tone® can be used to fertilize Pieris now.
A few more care tips: Any needed pruning should be done soon after flowering; they’re in flower right now. If you prune too late in the season, you’ll prune off next year’s flower buds. Apply two inches of organic mulch around the plant (but not touching the crown of the plant) to conserve needed soil moisture. If you live and garden in deer country, take note that Japanese Pieris is deer resistant!
Viburnum x burkwoodii ‘Mohawk’ has so much going for it - dark red buds that yield white waxy fragrant spring flowers that bloom in early May, glossy green leaves in the summer, and brilliant orange-reddish fall color! This low maintenance shrub can grow to 6’ in height and width. Plant ‘Mohawk’ in sun or part shade where the soil is fertile and moist, yet well drained. Mohawk provides multiple seasons of interest and enjoyment when planted in landscapes on Long Island.
Heavenly hydrangeas; it’s so easy to understand why they continue to be one of America’s most beloved plants. Adored for their long seasons of bloom and interest, hydrangeas - whether tree, shrub or climber - can be used in nearly every garden or landscape setting.
Types of Hydrangeas
With so many to choose from, how do you make sense of it all? Here’s a snapshot of some of the more popular hydrangeas that you’ll find at Martin Viette this season:
Hydrangea macrophylla is the most popular and widely known grouping of hydrangeas. There are many, many cultivars to choose from, including all-time favorites ‘Nikko Blue’, ‘Pink N’ Pretty’, and ‘Penny Mac’.
Hydrangea serrata is sometimes referred to as mountain hydrangea due to its origins in Japan. Popular varieties include ‘Bluebird’, and ‘Pink Beauty’.
Hydrangea arborescens – think ‘Annabelle’ and her to-die-for large white flowers. And if you need more reasons to include this hydrangea in your landscape, ‘Annabelle’ is easy to grow, easy to care for.
Hydrangea paniculata, commonly called the panicle hydrangea, can easily be used in landscape borders. Favorites ‘Limelight’ and ‘Tardiva’ will be available this season for beautiful flowering later this summer.
Hydrangea quercifolia, the oakleaf hydrangea, gives us so many reasons to buy and plant! Whether it’s the beautiful oak-shaped leaves; long, panicled flowers; beautiful orange-red fall color, or the fact that oakleaf hydrangea will flower in shady locations; this is a ‘must’ plant for any landscape. Look for ‘Snow Queen’ and ‘Alice’.
Remontant varieties are those that bloom more than once during the growing season. The best known, and a favorite at Martin Viette, is ‘Endless Summer’. Look for ‘Blushing Bride’ this season, too.
Culture and Care
Hydrangeas are adaptable plants that grow best in sun to partial shade locations. Think about the areas of your landscape that are possibly worthy of hydrangeas - foundation plantings, walls or fences, raised beds, garden borders. There are a few words of caution when selecting a planting site. Avoid areas that are: poorly drained; exposed to constant high winds; or where there is intense afternoon sun, especially during the summer months.
Soil preparation…yes, it’s so worth the time and effort to properly prepare the soil prior to planting. Work in copious amounts of organic matter - compost, peat moss or composted manure to enrich the soil; then you are ready to plant. Hydrangeas prefer soils that are moist, yet well drained, and organic matter helps with this.
People will sometimes refer to hydrangeas as ‘thirsty’ plants. Translation: never let hydrangeas go dry, especially during Long Island’s summer droughts. An inch or two of water per week during the growing season – whether from Mother Nature or you – is required. Soaker hoses are an efficient way to water; they deliver water to where it’s needed – the roots. Mulch with several inches of an organic material (but NOT peat moss!) to conserve needed soil moisture. (Do not apply mulch on or around the crowns or stems of any plant!)
Pink or Blue?
A few words about flower color! Soil chemistry plays a key role in determining what color certain macrophylla or serrata hydrangeas will be (white varieties are not pH sensitive). Acidic soils, 5.5 or lower, will produce blue flowers. Soils that are 6.5 or higher will produce pink flowers. The pH of any soil can be raised with lime or lowered with aluminum sulfate. Before you apply any product, have the pH tested first. We’re happy to test the pH of your soil for free at Martin Viette.
How many hydrangeas will you be adding to your landscape this spring? It’s easy to fall in love with these heavenly plants; you’ll be thankful that you did!
Vitex agnus-castus, commonly called lilac chaste tree, is a deciduous (translation: loses its leaves in winter) large shrub/small tree for the home landscape. VAC sports attractive green palmate (finger-like) leaves with silvery undersides (that are sometimes mistaken for Cannabis sativa). Fragrant lilac-colored flower spikes begin to bloom in mid-summer, and once they do, so do the visits from butterflies and friendly bees!
VAC is hardy in zones 6-9 (we are considered zone 7) and grows best in full sun locations that offer well-drained soils. Once established, VAC can be somewhat drought-tolerant (that does not mean NO water!) Allow space, VAC can grow to 12’ in height and width. Virtually problem-free, just grow and enjoy.
A word about pruning: VAC blooms on current season’s growth (think butterfly bush), so don’t be afraid to cut it back in late winter/early spring before growth begins.
