Here’s three tips that have the basics you need to know about growing this versatile garden favourite in the ground.
Give it space to grow
Unless it is a compact variety, the majority of shrubs tend to spread and grow wide, so make sure you consider this when planting them. When planting them into the ground, dig a hole that is the same depth as the plant’s pot and about twice as wide to give its roots room to spread out.
Prune at the right time
As a rough guide, it’s best to base pruning on when the plant flowers. If it blooms early in the season (like Azalea shrubs, for example) prune after flowering. Alternatively, it flowers later on, then you’ll want to prune around late winter to early spring.
Water well to begin with
Part of the appeal of shrubs is that they’re very low maintenance to care for and even drought tolerant once established, but when they’re newly planted they will require frequent watering. Shrubs may also appreciate an annual feed in late winter with a general purpose fertiliser.
Three of our favourite shrubs to shop now:
French lavender 'anouk'
We're sure you don't need us to tell you why the Lavender is such a popular evergreen plant, but it's definitely got something to do with its beautiful purple flowers and calming aroma. The Anouk variety is a compact, evergreen shrub with narrow, silver-green leaves, and its flowers will fade from purple-blue to pink as the plant matures. It will attract pollinators to your garden, as well as filling it with a sweet and calming scent.
Clematis apple blossom evergreen
With sweet-smelling, star-shaped flowers in a gorgeous, bright indigo colour, it's hard to resist this charming shrub. It is occasionally referred to as 'Old Man's Beard' due to the silver, fluffy seed heads that follow after flowering, resembling, as you've guessed, an old man's beard! The Clematis will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Expect to see blooms between the months of May and October.
Ivy hedera helix ‘golden kolibri’
It’s estimated that across the different species of Ivy, there are nearly 400 cultivars, and some make popular houseplants, too - but that doesn't make this shrub any less special! It's hardy and easy to care for, plus its dark green leaves have a golden-yellow variegation to them, adding colour and interest to this plant's charm. Mature plants produces yellowish-green flower clusters which are usually followed by black berries.