Terry L. Ettinger Horticulture Consulting Services
Meeting The Needs Of Today With A Vision For The Future
Recommended Shrubs
Believe
it or not, there are shrubs well-suited for Central New York
landscapes other than lilacs, forsythia, spirea,
mockorange, rhododendrons (at right), various evergreens and, of
course, burning bush!
The problem with all of the shrubs above, in my humble opinion, is that they're essentially "one hit wonders" - they're covered with flowers or have colorful fall foliage for a week to ten days and that's it!
Rather, my goal is to introduce you to a wide range shrubs
that offer multiple seasons of interest in Central New York
landscapes. From (sometimes fragrant) spring and summer
flowers, through interesting foliage textures and shapes (like that
of tree peony), to colorful fall foliage
and
persistent winter fruit,
I want to help you create a landscape filled with shrubs that respond to all of our
seasons.
I'll also help you find shrubs that will thrive in difficult
conditions like moderately deep shade, wet soils and sites that are
exposed to road salt and errant snowplow drivers!
And, finally, I will do my best to help you choose shrubs that fit the spaces that you have available in your landscape. In other words, if you have a spot next to your front door that's four feet wide, four feet deep and four feet tall, I'll help you find a shrub that only gets that big
Speaking of size, please remember that many of our most common shrubs can become quite large -
just like the "compact" burning bush in the picture at
left (that's my Mom at right - she's about
five feet, four inches tall)!
So, be careful when planting shrubs next to your front door, the foundation of your home, or beneath a picture window! Otherwise, you may need to learn more about my pruning recommendations by clicking here!