Trees & Shrubs

Trees and shrubs are the woody, permanent plants in your garden. Typically trees are taller, and often possess one dominant trunk and a crown of foliage. Shrubs, on the other hand, are shorter with foliage that extends all the way to the ground.

Trees and shrubs are often categorized as deciduous or evergreen. Deciduous trees start their growth with a burst of new leaves in early spring, stay full and lush through summer, and usually change color and drop their leaves in the fall. Evergreens include both broad-leafed varieties and conifers that keep their leaves year-round. Most conifers have needle-like leaves, a few of which might drop throughout the year.

Vines are much like flexible shrubs that continue to grow taller and longer, depending on how you train them to behave.

The Beauty of Trees, Shrubs and Vines

Trees and shrubs are the backbone of your garden landscape, and they serve a multitude of other purposes as well. You can use them to create shade, attract birds, or to give your garden privacy from neighbors or a busy street. You can plant them to provide year-round color, fragrant blooms, or a delicious harvest of fruit or berries. And vines do an expert job of framing an entryway, decorating a bare wall or fence, or adorning a trellis with lovely foliage and flowers.