“Shrubs, especially evergreens, are a great defense in many ways,” the English gardening writer Christopher Lloyd said.
The difference between a shrub and a tree? In addition to being smaller (most shrubs don’t grow taller than 15 feet), a shrub is a bush; it typically has several woody branches growing from a crown rather than a single trunk.
When designing a garden, rely on shrubs to create visual definition. Shrubs can frame a garden bed or be the “walls” of an outdoor room. Placed on the perimeter of a property, shrubs provide privacy; a hedge is a friendlier alternative to a fence. Planted against a house, shrubs will hide a foundation and add texture and color to complement a facade. Single specimens in a garden bed will draw the eye; evergreen shrubs are particularly useful as year-round focal points.
