HBGF Garden Design Group: Janna's Perimeter Shrub Alternates

Evergreen. Very showy barberry. Fountain-like growth to 5-10' tall x 4-7' wide. Crisp, dark green, holly-like leaves. Orange-yellow flowers are borne so thickly along branches that foliage is hard to see; these are followed by profuse dark blue berries, popular with birds. Spreads by underground runners to form a thicket. Tolerant, require no more than ordinary garden care. Each year, thin out oldest wood and prune as needed to shape after bloom. Make attractive hedges. Informal style is best for species grown for spring flowers and ensuing berries, which are borne on previous year's growth; species grown for foliage can be sheared. To rejuvenate overgrown or neglected plants, cut them to within a foot of the ground before new spring growth begins zoned 5-9, 14-24. (Sunset Western Garden 2007)

Male blossoms appear as pendant catkins on bear branches in early spring. Leaves are roundish to oval, with serrated margins. Thin branches as needed in late winter, remove suckers when you see them. Blight resistant. Shrub. Native to damp slopes below 7,000 ft, northern Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada of California, north to British Columbia. Open, multi-stemmed, to 5-12' high and wide. Roundish, somewhat hairy, coarsely toothed, leaves turn bright yellow in fall. Small nuts with flavorful kernels. Zoned 2-9, 14-20. (Sunset Western Garden 2007)

Grown for striking form and flower clusters. All do well in dry, poor soil but need good drainage. All are excellent for seacoast gardens. Flowers attract bees. Give little or no water in mild-summer climates, weekly irrigation during summer in hotter areas. Shrub. Large picturesque plant to 5-6' tall x 6-10' wide with many coarse, heavy branches. Narrow, hairy gray-green leaves form roundish, irregular mounds at ends of stems. Great spike-like clusters of bluish purple flowers stand out dramatically, well above foliage, in spring. Branch tips and developing flower spikes may be killed by late frosts. Use for bold effects against walls, at back of wide flower borders. Prune lightly to keep bushy. Cut off faded flower spikes. Zoned 14-24. (Sunset Western Garden 2007)

8' high and wide with giant leaves 4-8 ft. across. Leaves are conspicuously veined with lobed cut, somewhat frilled edges, cupped and flaring, held somewhat vertically. Given space, they need plenty and the necessary care, these plants can be the ultimate summertime conversation pieces. New sets of leaves grow each spring. In mild-winter areas, old leaves remain green for more than a year. Elsewhere, leaves die back completely in winter. Flower clusters to 1.5' long resemble corncobs, form close to roots. Tiny fruits are red. Soil must be rich in nutrients and organic material. Feed three times per year, beginning when new growth starts, to keep leaves maximum size. Give overhead sprinkling when humidity is low or drying winds occur. Use plant where they can be focal point in summer--beside a pool or dominating a bed of low, fine-textured ground cover. (Sunset Western Garden 2007)

Fast-growing plants with a typically irregular shape. Leathery leaves are dark green above, felted beneath. Very showy, typically saucer-shaped yellow blossoms in spring. Flowers are followed by persistent conical seed capsules covered with bristly rust-colored hairs; some people consider them unsightly and they can irritate skin. Plants are completely drought tolerant and will accept occasional moisture during their normally dry period in summer only if drainage is excellent (hillside planting is recommended. Roots are shallow, so stake plants while young to prevent them from being blown over in windy areas. Pinch young growth to encourage branching; prune off overly long shoots. Plants are usually short lived. To 4-6' tall and 12' wide, bearing somewhat cup-shaped golden flowers with orange backs zoned 4-24. (Sunset Western Garden 2007)

Soft wooded, rapidly growing, evergreen shrub 6-12' tall 8-10' wide, easily kept much shorter. Irregular habit, with stems that may be semi-erect or sprawling and spreading. Bold-looking foliage: grayish green, foot-long leaves divided into strongly toothed leaflets. Foot tall spikes of reddish brown, 1" flowers bloom in late winter, early spring. Adapts to most soils. Use for tropical effects; good as accent plant. To get a tall shrub, stake a few stems; for a sprawling, bulkier plant, shorten some stems in early spring before new growth begins. Zoned 8, 9, 12-24; H1, H2 (Sunset Western Garden)

HBGF Garden Design Group