Garden Shrubs

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Here are some garden shrubs that attract birds and butterflies.

In my way of thinking, a backyard garden should be a source of true enjoyment.  Part of this can be achieved if you attract birds and butterflies by planting certain trees, shrubs, and flowers.  This is part of the fun of landscaping.

Listed below are a few garden shrubs that attract birds and butterflies:

1.    Butterfly bush – This shrub does a great job of attracting butterflies, particularly tiger swallowtails.  But this garden shrub also attracts hummingbirds.  It attracts bees so that it helps in the cross pollination of other plants in your garden.

2.    Dogwoods and other flowering shrubs – These trees and shrubs attract different types of birds.

3.    Sumac shrub – This garden shrub provides a food source for birds in the late winter and early spring.  It also shows off beautiful red, gold, and maroon fall foliage.  So this plant is a great landscaping asset to your garden.  Robins and bluebirds are attracted by the berries of this shrub.

4.    Pussy Willows – These plants can be pruned to keep them at a shrub size.  By doing this, they can become a magnet for attracting wild birds.

5.    Winterberry shrub – This plant provides a good food source for birds in the winter.  Its bright red berries add color to your landscape.

6.    Holly trees and shrubs – The berries of this plant provides food and cover for birds in the winter.

7.    Bayberry shrub – This plant has a glossy, aromatic foliage in addition to a waxy, gray fruit.  Birds like these berries.

8.    Cranberrybush viburnum – This garden shrub provides masses of red berries in the winter.  It has white flowers in May and June followed by the fruit.  It shows off red to purple foliage in the fall.

Butterfly gardens are similar to hummingbird gardens.  So the garden shrubs you use to attract butterflies will many times attract hummingbirds.

You may find that your landscape calls for shade-loving shrubs.  Don’t be concerned.

There are many shrubs that can not only survive, but also thrive in complete and partial shade conditions.

Garden shrubs can fulfill many purposes in a backyard landscape.  They can be used as foundation plantings – next to a building, a fence, or some other structure.

They can be used a specimen plant.  That is, they can create interest in your garden as a stand-alone shrub.

They can also be used as a privacy hedge.  Here the purpose is to block something you don’t want seen.  It can block the view of another house, an air conditioning unit, etc.

Here are some of my favorite shade-loving shrubs:

1.    Rhododendrons and azaleas – These represent probably the most popular shade-loving shrubs.  These plants actually do best in the shade.  In fact, it is not advisable for them to get a lot of sun.  I am sure you know that they provide beautiful blooms in the spring that come in a variety of colors.

These are evergreen plants and have interesting foliage throughout the year.  They can be used as a specimen plant, a hedge, or a foundation plant.

2.    Boxwoods – This plant can be used by itself or with many other plants as a foundation planting. It can define a landscape area or separate one space from another.  It can also be used as a screen. It provides a great background to more colorful plants.

The boxwood grows best in partial shade.  Some varieties will tolerate full sun.

3.    Barberry – This garden shrub grows especially well in partial shade.  It does well in a variety of growing conditions.  It has thorny stems, red berries, and attractive foliage.  Some varieties produce yellow flowers.

4.    Arborvitae – This plant comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.  It is very popular with homeowners who love aromatic garden shrubs. It is used as a foundation plant and a privacy hedge.

Barberry (front); Arborvitae (rear)

Arborvitae are easy to grow, and fast growing. They require little care and maintenance after they are planted. An annual pruning is sometimes necessary in order to keep them in the desirable shape.
5.    Viburnum shrubs – These plants are attractive and produce fragrant blossoms.  They do well in shade or partial shade.
6.    Witch hazel – This is another very fragrant garden shrub that does very well in the shade.  It provides yellow blooms in the spring.
7.    Carolina allspice – This shade-loving shrub produces reddish purple flowers and a spicy fragrance.