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Best Shrubs for Gardeners in New England

Regional Gardening, Best Shrubs, New England Gardening

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Hardy shrubs are essential elements in New England gardens. They add depth and character to any garden and provide lovely blooms, attractive berries, showy fall colors, and bird food.

Designing a garden with shrubs in New England can be a visually rewarding project when you consider the range of shrubs that thrive in this region and can provide year-round interest.

Entrance Impact: Use evergreen shrubs like Boxwood (Buxus) or Inkberry (Ilex glabra) to create a formal, low-maintenance hedge around your property or a walkway. These shrubs provide a structure and greenery all year round.

Seasonal Interest: Rhododendrons and Azaleas, with their vivid spring flowers, can make dramatic focal points. Consider varieties like ‘PJM’ Rhododendrons that are bred to withstand New England winters.

Borders and Backdrops: Lilacs (Syringa) and Hydrangeas are excellent choices for borders or as backdrops to perennial gardens, providing beautiful blooms and a lovely fragrance.

Winter Interest: Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) can provide stunning winter interest with its bright red stems.

Wildlife Attraction: Viburnums can add visual interest with their berries and also attract birds.

Privacy Screens: For taller options that provide privacy, consider Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) or Arborvitae (Thuja), which are both native to the region.

Texture and Color: Incorporate shrubs with different leaf textures and colors for more visual interest. Blue Star Juniper with its silver-blue needles can contrast beautifully with the green of other plants.

Ground Cover: Low-growing shrubs like Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) can be used to cover ground, control erosion, and create a transition from the garden to the lawn or pavement.

Remember, the key to successful garden design is to work with the existing conditions (soil, light, climate) and to choose plants that will thrive in those conditions. Always consider the mature size of the shrubs when planning your garden so that the plants have enough space to grow and don’t crowd each other out.

Selecting the right shrub variety might be daunting for New England gardeners. You may want to review the guides below if you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance, and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region. They will assist you in finding the top-performing shrubs that are perfectly suited for your garden.​

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Plant Type Shrubs
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Hedges And Screens, Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Ponds And Streams
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden

Best Shrubs for Gardeners in New England

Garden Examples

A Luminous Perennial Planting Idea with Echinacea pallida and Veronicastrum
A Charming Plant Combination for Shady Gardens: Hydrangea, Japanese Maple and Boxwood
A Late Season Border Idea with Hibiscus and Grasses
A Glowing Winter Border with Dogwood, Heath and Grasses
A Spectacular Spring Border Idea with Brilliant Tulips and Cotinus
A Hot Summer Border Idea with Dahlia, Crocosmia and Aster
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
New England
Guides with
New England
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 3 - 7
Heat Zones 1 - 3
Plant Type Shrubs
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Attracts Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Hedges And Screens, Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers, Ponds And Streams
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
New England
Guides with
New England

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