Chicago Botanic Garden Summer 2019

30 chicagobotanic.org Smart Gardener chicagobotanic.org/smartgardener A living fence of shrubs creates a garden retreat Everyone can use a little privacy in their garden from time to time. After all, a garden is a place to retreat from the outside world, read a book, do some yoga, bird-watch, or simply rest and relax. A tall solid fence can block views into a garden, but it can also make the space feel con ned. at’s where shrubs come in—they can form a living fence that changes through the seasons. Shrubs are low-growing woody plants that tend to be less than 20 feet tall. ey produce multiple branches from the base of the plant. A shrub border need not be made of the same type of plant. Consider mixing owering shrubs and evergreens or mounding and vertical plants to create a contrast. Here are some underused shrubs for screening the garden. Green Giant arborvitae ( uja plicata ‘Green Giant’) Height: Up to 40 feet but prune to keep compact ere are many arborvitaes that are used for screening, but Western red cedar is a bit di erent—it’s deer resistant. Al- though the cultivar ‘Green Giant’ is a narrow, fast-growing tree, it can be sheared to keep it in bounds. It is best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) Height: 6 to 12 feet is is one of the nicest owering shrubs for midsummer. Its big, beefy leaves look tropical, and the spectacular up- right, creamy ower panicles can be a foot long. e ow- ers produce glossy, inedible nuts—buckeyes—hence the plant’s common name. As fall arrives, the leaves turn a bright yellow. A bonus—this native shrub has no serious disease or insect problems and deer tend to leave it alone. Koreanspice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) Height: 4 to 8 feet By early April, the red ower buds on Koreanspice vibur- num unfurl to pink petals that gradually turn white. But it’s the exceptional almond-vanilla fragrance that’s the icing on the cake for this plant. e owers produce berry-like drupes that turn blue-black in late summer. e leaves in fall can be a muted red or wine-red to burgundy. It prefers average to rich, moist, loamy soil with some afternoon shade. Once established, this is a low-maintenance, attractive plant. Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) Height: 5 to 15 feet, depending on cultivar is is one of the more popular owering shrubs right now, with long owers that look like upside-down ice cream cones. Newer cultivars like ‘Firelight’ and ‘Vanilla Straw- berry’ o er cream-colored owers that turn medium to deep rose in late summer. e dried owers can be left on the plant until the following spring, or cut and used for indoor or outdoor arrangements. Common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Height: 6 to 15 feet is native shrub is particularly dramatic in late autumn to early winter when it unfurls its spidery yellow owers. Lit- tle else is in bloom at that time. On frigid days, the owers curl into a ball and unfurl when the temperature rises. Common witch hazel does best when placed in partial shade and provided with well-composted organic matter. Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)