Some questions to ask before selecting shrubs for your landscape

At first glance the problem of choosing shrubs may appear to be a staggering one. Do not be intimidated…the first thing to do is to decide what you would like to grow, then check your list against what can grow in your climate and soil and general conditions. Ask yourself these questions: Do you want all-year or seasonal effects? What do you want most—flowers, fruit, leaf color and/or textural effects? Do you want winter pattern and good structure when leaves fall off the plant? Do you want winter color from twigs and shoots, or a combination of two or three of these? Do you prefer deciduous shrubs or evergreens? Knowing the answers to these questions is a good approach to obtaining the most suitable shrubs for your landscape design.