When you make the proper selections, shrubs can help you work out a variety of landscaping challenges -- and create a more peaceful environment in your yard. Here are some shrub varieties that help solve problems: - Shrubs that are quick growing and tall work well to create a screen between you and noisy -- or nosy -- neighbors.
- Azaleas or rhododendrons or other blooming shrubs help dress up the front yard. They're also fragrant if you spend a lot of time on the front porch.
- To distance your home and yard from a busy street, gradually build a wall of shrubs. Start with low shrubs such as juniper, then phase in a row of something a little higher behind it -- like holly. Last, work in some shrubs that grow higher still. But do make sure that you don't obscure your house so much that robbers can sneak in easily.
- Rounded shrubs, such as hydrangeas, work well for borders.
- Vertical shrubs work in front of windowless walls---but don't put one outside of a window with a view!
- An arching shrub, such as forsythia, looks good in the yard by itself.
- For small gardens, select a very few spreading shrubs, but don't cover up all your soil.
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