Regional Gardening, Best Shrubs, New England Gardening
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.
| 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 | Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens, Patio And Containers, Ponds And Streams |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
Botanik Foto
| 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 | Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens, Patio And Containers, Ponds And Streams |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
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Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
Join now and start creating your dream garden!
