Ornamental shrubs for the garden: photos and names

Spectacular ornamental shrubs can solve many garden problems. Along with decoration, they can also perform practical functions, playing the role of a green fence or masking certain corners of the garden. Most of the species of such plants popular in gardening are unpretentious perennials that do not require too complicated care. Beautiful flowers or leaves allow you to create various compositions from such shrubs that are attractive throughout the season.

Varieties of ornamental shrubs

Ornamental shrubs can quickly fill the garden space. The height of such plants can range from 20 cm to several meters. Of the many species on the garden market, specimens are selected that best fit into the intended landscape. These can be bushes with attractive flowers or leaves, which can be used in vertical landscaping of vines. Such shrubs have twining shoots that allow plants to climb onto the support provided for them. With the help of vines, you can quickly decorate many garden structures, resting places or decorative objects: gazebos, pergolas, trellises, fences, walls or even tree trunks. The direction of their shoots allows them to form a beautiful green wall.

Garden vines usually prefer sunny locations and are often thermophilic. Among the most popular shrubs of this type are:

• Wisteria is an unusually spectacular liana with fragrant bunches of inflorescences.
• The maiden grape is a liana with beautiful foliage that changes color by autumn.
• Honeysuckle - climbing species have fragrant flowers and bright, inedible berries.
• Campsis is a beautifully flowering southern liana that can turn into a garden weed.
• Clematis is a moderately winter-hardy vine with large, showy flowers.

Flowering ornamental shrubs

Shrubs of this type can look elegant throughout the season, but they attract the most attention during flowering. Delicate, bright or fragrant flowers make these plants a real decoration of the garden area. Among the most common flowering perennial shrubs:

Buddlea

The fragrant and elegant buddleya is called the "butterfly bush" or "moth tree": during the flowering period, many insects flock to it. This plant belongs to the Norichnikov family. Buddleya has wide drooping branches, at the ends of which there are oblong spike-shaped inflorescences of white, pink, blue or lilac color. Most often, the size of such a plant does not exceed 1.5 m in height, although David's buddley sometimes grows up to 3 meters. Buddleas are notable for their unpretentiousness, but they have some cultivation characteristics.

• The plantings require fertile land and a sunny location;
• Buddleys are planted in a permanent place in spring or autumn;
• Buddleya is considered to be quite frost-resistant, but for the winter, the bushes will still need shelter;
• Once a year, pruning should be carried out, removing dry branches from the shrub and forming a crown for a more lush flowering.

Among the common varieties of David's buddley:

• Darts Papillon - with purple inflorescences up to 30 cm long.
• Purple Prince - forms dark purple flowers.
• Border Beauty - flowers are painted in a bright lilac-pink color.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus is a tropical relative of the well-known stockrose or mallow. These shrubs have similar funnel-shaped flowers. Hibiscuses form bushes up to 2 m tall. They have tough branches and dark green lobed foliage. To grow hibiscus, you need:

• Use fertile slightly acidic soil;
• Find a sunny and warm place in the garden;
• Provide the plant with a good shelter of the root system before the onset of frost;
• Water the shrub more often in the heat;
• Feed the hibiscus regularly for lush and longer flowering.

Famous varieties include:

• Andreas is a red-flowered hibiscus.
• Hamabo - flowers with pink petals and a contrasting spot at the base.
• Pink Giant - pink flowers with a red speck at the base of the petals.

Azalea

Azalea and rhododendron are close relatives and have some similarities in cultivation. These shrubs can tolerate bright sunlight, but need a constantly moist soil. Most azaleas shed their foliage for the winter, so such plants are considered more frost-resistant than their evergreen counterparts. In addition, an azalea can be arranged not only in a sunny, but also in a semi-shady location.

For the garden, the most commonly used large-flowered azalea, also called Japanese. Its flowers come in a variety of colors, including shades of pink, red, orange or white. For growing azaleas:

• A spacious area is selected - the width of the bush reaches 1.5 m, so there should be enough space for it. Azalea will grow best in a moderately lit area, sheltered from the wind;
• An acidic soil rich in humus is used;
• The shrub is regularly fed;
• Pruning is carried out only for sanitary purposes, removing wilted flowers.

Azaleas will need moderate care. For the development of such plants, loose and fertile soil is preferable, which is good for air and moisture. To prevent the earth from drying out so quickly, the root area is mulched with bark. During a drought, the plant should be watered more often, otherwise it will not be able to form buds by the next season.

The appearance of azaleas depends on the selected species and plant variety. As they develop, the bushes become more lush and thick. They are used both in solo plantings and in various compositions, as well as grown in pots or flowerpots. Thanks to their love for acidic soil, azaleas go well with conifers, as well as with other ornamental shrubs. In addition to the bush form, you can form an azalea in the form of a small tree.

Rhododendron

Most rhododendrons are evergreen shrubs. In autumn, such species do not shed their leathery leaves, therefore they need sufficient moisture in the pre-winter period. A wide variety of species allows you to choose a plant with the required parameters. Rhododendrons can vary in size, color, and flower appearance. Like azaleas, these plants require an acidic and moist soil. Without this condition, the plantings weaken and get sick more often.

• Rhododendrons develop well in semi-shady places, where their foliage is less susceptible to burns or drying out;
• You can place such plantings near garden ponds. Air humidity will promote their growth;
• It is not recommended to grow rhododendrons next to spruces, although their bushes coexist well with pine or juniper.
• Before the start of active growth and after flowering, the bushes are fed with mineral compounds, trying to avoid organic matter;
• Rhododendrons do not need pruning, they are only cleaned of wilted flowers. Such measures allow the plant to save energy without wasting them on the formation of seeds.

With proper care, such a shrub can grow in one place for a very long time, so the place for planting it must be chosen carefully.

Clematis

Clematis (or clematis) is one of the garden vines. It can be used to decorate fences, gazebos and other garden structures. The length of their shoots depends on the species and can reach up to 3.5 m. Clematis attracts with their large flowers with a velvety surface of petals and a wide palette of colors. They appear on stems from mid-summer to late autumn, giving the vines a truly exotic look.

• Clematis prefer fertile soil in which moisture does not retain. Stagnation of liquid at the roots can harm them, but it is also not worth overdrying them;
• When planting, choose a place in which the stems of the flower will be located in the sun, and the lower part of the shrub - in the shade or partial shade. You can plant medium-sized annuals next to the vine, which will shade its root area;
• Spiny stems must be protected from strong winds, as well as from the descent of precipitation, if the plants are planted near the walls;
• With the risk of severe frosts for the winter, it is recommended to cover clematis, but in the spring they try to remove the shelter from them as soon as possible so that the bushes do not get blocked.

The exact timing of flowering of clematis differs, falling out in spring, summer or autumn. Depending on the species, such vines form flowers on the shoots of the past or current year, therefore, the timing of pruning of different clematis will vary.

Hydrangea

Lush and fragrant hydrangea flower caps can decorate any area. This shrub is rightfully considered one of the most decorative. Of the whole variety of hydrangeas, large-leaved, tree-like and paniculate species are especially popular. Large-leaved hydrangea can be grown both in the garden and at home. It forms bushes about a meter in size, and its flowers change color depending on the composition of the soil. Treelike and paniculate hydrangeas are considered more frost-resistant due to woody shoots. Their flowers are more delicate in color in greenish-white or pink tones.

Each type of hydrangea can have its own growing characteristics, but in general, such plants are quite demanding on growing conditions.

• Hydrangeas need a nutritious soil with a high humus content, clay soil is not suitable for them;
• For planting, semi-shady places are preferred, in which the plants will have enough light, but the sun will not dry out their foliage;
• Even frost-resistant species need shelter before the onset of cold weather. At the same time, hydrangeas slightly frozen over the winter are able to quickly recover in the spring;
• Throughout the season, the shrubs are regularly watered and fertilized - the plant loves water very much, but watering must be done in a timely manner. It is also important not to overdo it with top dressing - an excess of organic matter can have a bad effect on flowering;
• Hydrangeas will need pruning to maintain abundant flowering, but the timing depends on the type of plant chosen: they form flower buds at different times.

The more thermophilic large-leaved hydrangea is often planted in mobile containers in order to bring it into the house with the arrival of cold weather. The size of the bush allows it to fit in a pot.

Lilac

Lilac is a widespread ornamental shrub belonging to the Olive family. The unpretentious plant is often used to decorate city streets and front gardens, but it is no less common in gardens. Lilac inflorescences can have a different color in white, lilac, pink, lilac or burgundy tones.There are varieties with double or bicolor flowers. Lilac branches can be used to create bouquets - they stand perfectly in the water.

In order for garden lilacs to bloom regularly and profusely, it does not take much effort:

• The shrub is planted in a sunny place with a nutrient soil of a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction;
• After flowering, pruning is carried out, it will contribute to the creation of a more lush crown;
• About a couple of times a season, it is recommended to feed the bushes with a moderate amount of nutrients.

Lilacs, grown in suitable conditions, are capable of growing up to about 3 m. Due to the different flowering periods of the varieties, it is possible to create a whole lilac garden from them, delighting with its fragrant inflorescences for a long period of time.

Magnolia

Magnolia with its unusual delicate flowers can also become a highlight of the garden. The color of its flowers can be pink, white, lilac or yellowish.

Popular varieties include:

• Galaxy is a compact hybrid with fragrant red-pink flowers.
• Nigra - the outer part of the petals is painted in a dark purple color, but inside the flower is light.
• Randy is an early flowering cultivar with pink-purple flowers.
• Susan - flowers are painted in shades of purple.

Magnolia bushes can be up to 7 m in size, so they should be grown in a spacious area. They maintain a sufficient distance from the bush to other plants: magnolia does not like close proximity.

• For cultivation, you will need fertile acidic or neutral soil;
• Magnolia is planted in moderately sunny areas of the garden, sheltered from the cold wind;
• Plantings need to be watered more often, especially during periods of drought: magnolias prefer moist soil. To make the soil dry out more slowly, the trunk area is mulched;
• Shrub trimming is carried out only for sanitary purposes.

Most varieties of magnolia do not tolerate severe frosts, so only a few species are suitable for cultivation in regions with harsh winters - for example, cobus or star-shaped. They are able to withstand frost under good cover.

Pyracantha

Pyracants are often found in the gardens of the southern regions. These shrubs bloom profusely, and also serve as a good protection for the garden thanks to the thorns located on the branches. One of the most popular species is the scarlet or bright red pyracantha. Its white or pinkish flowers are considered melliferous. By autumn, red (less often yellow) berries are formed in their place, which remain on the bushes all winter. Such fruits are not eaten, but birds love to feast on them. This evergreen shrub does not like transplants, so they immediately try to find the most suitable place for it.

• Pyracantha prefers sunny areas with a nutritious neutral soil in which water does not stagnate. In partial shade, its flowering weakens;
• During periods of drought, the bushes are regularly watered;
• Pyracantha does not tolerate frosts below -20 degrees, therefore it needs a good shelter;
• In the spring, dry or weakened shoots are removed from the bush.

This plant is well suited for creating a hedge - to maintain its shape, you will need to trim at the beginning and at the end of summer. Shrubs look no less impressive in solo plantings near houses or on lawns. Pyracantha can also be grown at home.

Bloodroot

Shrub Potentilla forms neat bushes, is easy to grow and looks great in the garden. Its lovely flowers with rounded petals can be colored white, yellow, pink, red or orange. Flowering lasts from late spring to mid-autumn.

• Cinquefoil needs a drained soil that does not contain calcium, which the plant does not like;
• Shrubs develop best in an open area, lit in the morning or evening;
• In hot weather, plantings will need watering;
• Pruning is carried out in the spring.

The sizes of Potentilla bushes can range from 15 cm to 1 m.By combining different varieties, you can get a colorful flower bed or create a low hedge or border from Potentilla. The plant is capable of developing well in rockeries or rock gardens, but it is not recommended to combine bushes with coniferous species.

Weigela

Weigela is a member of the Honeysuckle family. Its dimensions depend on the species and can range from 1 to 2 m in height. During the flowering period, bright bell flowers appear in the leaf axils of the weigela, forming small paniculate inflorescences.

• Weigela can grow in both sunny and semi-shady places;
• The soil for planting should be rich in humus and have a slightly acidic or alkaline reaction. Too quickly drying out earth for a bush is not suitable, but excess moisture should not linger in it;
• The shrub will need shelter only in regions with the most severe climates;
• Weigela is considered resistant to polluted air, therefore it can be grown in gardens in the city;
• The bushes are fed with compost every year.

Weigela blooms in late spring, but sometimes repeats in September. At this time, numerous flowers appear on its last year's branches, painted in pink, carmine, yellowish or white. Some varieties also have decorative burgundy foliage.

Weigela does not need constant pruning, but once every few years, the oldest shoots with a minimum number of flowers can be removed from the bushes. Such measures will help to rejuvenate the plantings. Pruning is carried out after flowering.

Viburnum

Viburnum forms large and tall bushes or low trees with inflorescences in the form of balls or umbrellas. Most species and varieties have white flowers, but there is also a pink-flowered viburnum.

For a garden, ordinary (or red), folded viburnum or Gordvin's viburnum is usually used. Many decorative varieties have been obtained on the basis of species plants. The inflorescences of some of them have a rounded shape, while others do not set fruit after flowering. Most often, viburnum still bears fruit, forming red, orange or black berries. Edible viburnum is used to prepare various dishes; birds also like to feast on it. The berries remaining on the bushes can decorate the site for a long time in the autumn-winter period. In some varieties, foliage turns red in autumn, giving the shrubs an even more decorative look.

Viburnum flowers appear in spring, but the exact timing depends on the characteristics of the selected plant. Such shrubs are used both singly and in group plantings.

• Viburnum prefers sun or partial shade, excessive shading is bad for flowering;
• The bushes are undemanding to the soil, they are satisfied with moderately fertile soil from slightly acidic to alkaline;
• Viburnum is drought tolerant, but young plants will need watering in the heat. At the same time, shrubs are able to grow well in places with high humidity, for example, near water bodies.

Kalina is distinguished by its rapid growth rates and good immunity, therefore it is almost not affected by diseases. The bushes should be cut off after flowering.

Spirea

Spirea shrubs during flowering are strewn with many umbrella inflorescences of small white, pink or red flowers. Depending on the species, these plants bloom in spring or summer. Among the most popular varieties of spirea for the garden is Japanese, the maximum size of which reaches 2 m. Flowers on such bushes are formed in the summer on the shoots of the current year. For growing Japanese spirea, you can use any garden soil. It is also considered to be resistant to air pollution. Pruning such plants should be in the spring.

Gray spirea is often used to create green hedges. It is a hardy plant that blooms in late spring. During this period, many snow-white flowers appear on its drooping shoots.Pruning of such plants is carried out after flowering: their flower buds are formed on the shoots of the last year.

The dimensions of another popular species, the Nippon spirea, are about 1.5 m in height. The shoots of the bush are arranged horizontally, and flowering occurs at the end of May. Such a spirea is capable of growing in a semi-shady place, but it blooms more magnificently in the sun. Cut it off after flowering.

In the garden, spireas can be used as a component of flower beds or a bed. They are able to grow in rock gardens, where undersized forms are planted as ground covers. Compact spireas can be grown in pots or containers.

Cotoneaster

The cotoneaster belongs to the Pink family. This genus includes evergreen or deciduous shrubs, from low-growing plants with creeping shoots to large, 2-meter-long species.

Low-growing cotoneaster varieties are usually creeping plants that are used as groundcover. Among them is the Swedish cotoneaster and Dammer's cotoneaster. They are distinguished by quite active growth and are often used to decorate shady corners of the garden. The bushes have small, dense foliage, bloom in late spring, and by autumn they are covered with rounded red berries, which are considered inedible. The horizontal cotoneaster is notable for the combination of silvery-green foliage with bright fruits.

• Bushes will grow best in neutral or alkaline soil;
• Poor soil will also not be an obstacle to growing a cotoneaster, but places with stagnant moisture should be avoided;
• Plants tolerate drought well, they should be watered only during a particularly prolonged period without rain, about once every couple of weeks;
• The shiny cotoneaster leaves can be dust-washed as needed.

Caring for cotoneaster is to remove dry or damaged twigs. Plants lend themselves well to formation and grow back quickly, keeping their shape. Sanitary pruning is carried out at any time, and shaping or rejuvenating - in early spring.

Ornamental deciduous shrubs

Barberry

Barberries are often used for landscaping gardens and parks. These shrubs come in a variety of sizes (from compact to 2m) and have a variety of foliage shades including green, red and yellow. For example, the tall Thunberg barberry has ovoid leaves, which turn orange-crimson by autumn. Barberry blooms at the beginning of summer, and by autumn beautiful berries ripen on the bushes.

• Barberry is undemanding to care for and is able to grow in almost any land;
• For landing, select a sunny place or light partial shade;
• Shrubs tolerate frosty winters well and usually do not need shelter;
• The bushes tolerate waterlogging more easily during dry periods, therefore, plantings should be watered only if necessary;
• Timely pruning will help rejuvenate the bushes and keep them looking neat.

Barberries can be combined with each other, as well as combined with other garden shrubs.

Boxwood

Boxwood forms bushes with medium-sized leathery foliage and small fragrant flowers. This plant has been used since ancient times to decorate gardens. Caring for him is not too difficult.

• Planting is carried out in the spring;
• To get a boxwood hedge, 8 to 15 bushes are planted per 1 meter.
• For boxwood, a shady and damp corner is best;
• In hot weather, plants are regularly watered;
• Several times a year, planting can be fed;
• Boxwood is hardy enough, but in more northern regions it can be grown in containers or covered for the winter. Plentiful watering is carried out before frost.

An evergreen shrub is widely used in landscape design. Boxwoods stand up to shearing and shaping very well, making them beautiful hedges. After pruning, the bushes hold their shape for a long time, in addition, this procedure allows them to significantly compact their crown.

Euonymus

A shrub from the Bereskletov family has very elegant foliage. Most of the varieties of euonymus have two-colored leaves. For example, the Emerald Gold variety has green foliage with a golden yellow border, while the Harlequin variety has a silvery border and streaks on the surface of the green leaf plates.

Some euonymus can be grown in the standard form as a tree with a lush crown. Sometimes this effect is achieved through vaccination. Even in bush form, this plant lends itself well to formation, allowing it to be given various forms. You can also use euonymus as a ground cover. Overgrowing bushes of some species cover the adjacent stones, as well as the lower parts of buildings, climbing over them.

It is not difficult to grow euonymus:

• For the bushes, choose a sunny or slightly shady place;
• The seedlings are placed in nutritious and drained soil;
• In order for the roots of the euonymus to successfully survive the cold winter, in the fall the area near the bushes is mulched;
• Planting should be cut in early spring or autumn. Shoots that are knocked out of the mass or damaged will be subject to removal.

Almost all types of euonymus are considered poisonous, but this does not prevent them from being popular in ornamental gardening.

Bubble

The bubble plant is one of the common gardening plants. It forms large bushes up to 3 m wide with straight or slightly drooping shoots. Such shrubs are notable for their lobed foliage, reminiscent of viburnum leaves. By autumn, they turn red and yellow.

Bubbles can also be attributed to decorative flowering shrubs. Closer to the middle of summer, many white flowers with long stamens, collected in small inflorescences, shields, appear on it. After flowering, the plant looks no less elegant. In place of the flowers, leaflet fruits are formed, having a bubble shape. This feature gave the plant its name. Ripe fruits are colored red.

• Such shrubs attract with their unpretentiousness and do not require complex care;
• The composition of the soil for the vesicle almost does not play a role, but plants do not like stagnant moisture;
• For planting, both sunny and semi-shady places are suitable;
• The bladder can withstand dry periods and cold weather.

In order for the bladder to bloom regularly, it is periodically rejuvenated, pruning every few years. Such bushes are often used to create a hedge: if desired, they can be formed, but even without this procedure, the crown of the vesicle is sufficiently dense.

Holly

Holly holly (or holly) from the family of the same name in nature often turns into a large tree, but in garden conditions it has a more compact size. He has many miniature decorative forms. This shrub has distinctive, glossy, pointed, dark green leaves.

Holly blooms in late spring, at which time small white flowers form on the bushes. By September, bright red fruits appear in their place, which remain on the plant throughout the winter. Thanks to this feature, an elegant holly, which stands out against the background of snow, is considered one of the symbols of the Christmas holidays. Fruits on the plant can appear only with the simultaneous planting of male and female bushes. But the beautiful holly berries, like its leaves, are poisonous.

Holly is not very picky about growing conditions.

• Shrubs can grow in a semi-shady or shady location;
• For holly, sour sandy loam soil with good drainage is best;
• Holly prefers moderately moist soil, but he is not afraid of heat.

Due to their shade tolerance, holly can be planted in such corners of the garden where sun-loving crops cannot grow. The plant responds well to shearing, so holly bushes can serve as the basis for a green hedge.

The listed ornamental shrubs are not the only species that can be used to decorate the garden. Having studied all the variety of such plants, you can easily pick up a shrub of the desired type, which will delight you with its flowers, leaves or a beautiful crown shape.