Winter is the time to layout the plans for next seasons garden & while you are choosing the flowers & trees you want to add to your landscape, do not forget to add in some great shrubs to your design. Strategic planting of shrubs can add dimension to your landscaping & you want to be sure to select the right ones based closely on shape, size & color.

For example, if you notice that there is a space that is devoid of color in your garden during the late summer & early fall you might want to consider putting a Burning Bush there. This shrub will add a brilliant splash of red to filling an empty spot. If the winter snow has your garden looking a little dreary you might consider a China Holly whose evergreen foliage & bright red berries will help add some color to your garden even in winter.

But colors are the only thing that shrubs are good for. You might want to cover up the foundation of your house with some short hedges or use them to separatee different parts of your landscape or your yard from the neighbors. You can also use hedges to create the borders of a walking garden & fill the insides with flowers.

when choosing your shrubs you will want to consider the height. If you really need to fill in an area in your garden but do not want something to tall you might pick the Smooth Hydrangea which grows to be about three to 5 feet. if you want something, however, that is a little bit taller perhaps to go against the side of your house or on the edge of the garden a Chinese juniper may be the way to go as it will grow between 5 & 8 feet. But if it is those little areas that you want to fill in where you do not want something that is very tall at all you could add one of the many varieties of shrub that grow to under 3 feet such as the Dwarf Honeysuckle & Cranberry Cotoneaster

When choosing your shrubs, another thing to consider is maintenance. Some of them can get quite unruly if they are not trimmed properly many times each season. One popular shrub that is easy to care for is the Bougainvillea which has beautiful bright red leaves, is very tolerant to drought & requires very little pruning. The Mentor Barberry is another hardy shrub that requires minimal care.

If you want to get the most color out of your shrubs then you might select the Purple Sand Cherry which blooms with beautiful flowers in May & then produces colorful cherry colored berries in the fall. It has lovely purple foliage that lasts well into winter.

Adding shrubs to your landscape & garden plan is another way to add interest to your overall landscaping. No matter which ones you choose, you should work out your plan on paper before committing to purchasing the plant. That way you will have a good idea :idea: on where to place them in how they will look when mature.

Lee Dobbins writes for Backyard Garden & Patio where you can get more tips on gardening & landscaping.