Author Archives: vlm

Hydrangeas are very suitable to New Jersey. They like moist, sandy, acidic soil. Unlike other shrubs with flowers, hydrangeas can tolerate partial sun conditions. In the spring they produce large flowers of many colors. Colors include pink, white, and even blue. Hydrangeas are a fine shrub when a medium sized flowering shrub will fit the bill.

As a native plant to Southern New Jersey, we see them in the Pine Barrens a lot. The common type is the ‘Roseum’. They bloom in the spring with large purple flowers. Rhododendrons generally grow to be about 4-8′ tall and equally broad. They do best in the part sun to part shade. Rhododendron are among the most colorful of all flowering shrubs.

Lilacs are old-fashioned favorites of all landscapers and homeowners alike. Their dense, grape-like clusters of fragrant flowers in stunning colors of white, lavender or red. They tend to bloom in mid-spring, usually around mid-April to early May, right in time for Mother’s Day. Lilacs make attractive plants when mixing them in with other plants in a border, or even for informal hedges. Once well established, they are extremely drought resistant and keep their bright green foliage in the extreme summer heat.

This popular plant is an evergreen shrub. It will keep its small green leaves all year round. Japanese varieties grow to be about 3-4′ tall and don’t need to be pruned. They only grow about 1-3″ a year. They don’t lost their form, unless you want to change from a rounded form to a square form. They like full sun to light shade. Boxwoods are great for hedges and lining walkways.

The Holly family of plants is native to New Jersey. Hollies have been dwarfed and altered to produce many varieties. Variegated hollies are just one kind. They like acidic, sandy, well drained soil and tolerate some shade. Small white flowers bloom in spring time, and some varieties form bright red berries in the fall. Variegated hollies or any of the numerous other varieties, are a great addition anywhere in your yard adding color and texture to your designs.

This bright green evergreen is a commonly used shrub in many landscapes. It if often grown to be in a tall pyramidal shape, although other arborvitae can be made to grow low to the ground. They are often used along side the base of a house, by a front door, or even as a privacy screen. The Emerald Green variety is a slow grower, only to about 25-30′ tall. Be sure to place in full sun, or even partial sun, because they don’t tolerate a lot of shade well.

Alberta spruces are a dwarf evergreen shrub that grow extremely slowly. Often, they will only grow an inch a year. Albertas don’t get very tall. Their maximum height is about 10 ft. tall, but may takes as many as 40 years. They have a light green color that is easily kept by putting them in full sun. Alberta’s are virtually maintenance free. They keep their pyramidal shape naturally, so you don’t have to trim.

Barberries are a widely adaptable dwarf deciduous shrub which can be used as a low hedge or a colorful accent. It’s mature height is about 4-5 feet and requires full sun for best coloration. It is a bushy compact shrub that keeps its shape with very little pruning or trimming. There is also a golden barberry variety.

Junipers, are an evergreen species that tends to do well in the acidic soil of New Jersey. Gold Coast Junipers need full sun to keep their gold coloring. Their gold coloring brings a distant part of the yard in sharp focus. They are relatively easy to take care of. Trimming is needed each year to keep them from growing out of proportion.

The Crape Myrtle is one of the easiest to grow plants. It grows well in ordinary soil conditions that is well drained. Their large display of brilliant pink, white, rose or purple flowers blossom in late summer, at a time that not much else is in bloom. Their foliage is deep green that turns into a stunning display of fall colors, in October and November. They tend to grow to be about 6-12′ high and the same wide, so watch where you place them.