Another accent area for your landscape may be located in your shrub border. This area could be to the rear of your property, where it can be viewed from the patio or living room window. Never place accent plants randomly through the shrub border. This causes each accent plant to “fight” for dominance.
ACCENT PLANTS
DECIDUOUS SHRUBS: Tall (10 feet or more in height). Elder, Golden Fringe Tree, Red Privit, Golden Wayfaring Tree DECIDUOUS SHRUBS: Medium (between 7 and 10 feet in height). Burning Bush, Winged Dogwood, Coral Dogwood, Redosier Dogwood, Silky Dogwood, Yellowtwig Ninebark, Common Ninebark, Goldleaf Sand Cherry, Purpleleaf Viburnum, Arrowwood Viburnum, Doublefile Weigela DECIDUOUS SHRUBS: Small (between 4 and 6 feet in height). Barberry, Redleaf Burning Bush, Dwarf Winged Weigela, Dwarf DECIDUOUS SHRUBS: Dwarf (less than 4 feet in height). Barberry, Crimson Pygmy Ninebark, Dwarf BROADLEAF EVERGREEN SHRUBS: Tall (10 feet or more in height). Holly Magnolia, Southern BROADLEAF EVERGREEN SHRUBS: Medium (between 7 and 10 feet in height). Mahonia, Oregon Grape Viburnum, Leatherleaf BROADLEAF EVERGREEN SHRUBS: Small (between 4 and 6 feet in height). Euonymus, Emerald ’n’ Gold Holly Nandina BROADLEAF EVERGREEN SHRUBS: Dwarf (less than 4 feet in height). Azalea Euonymus, Emerald Gaiety Holly, Dwarf Mahonia, Compact Oregon Grape Rhododendron
Shrubs that Soften the Building
Shrubs that will soften the lines of the house or buildings have a round, oval, or irregular shape. These shrubs break the strong vertical lines at the corners of the house, rather than call attention to them.
Shrubs will soften the lines at the corners of your house. Where windows are close to the corner, select dwarf shrubs that will not grow higher than the sill.
Never select shrubs that create an accent for corner plantings. Consider a brightly colored foliage on shrubs during the summer or fall as an accent. Do not plant upright-growing pyramidal evergreens, such as Junipers, for planting at the corners of your home. The shape of these plants creates an accent which will detract from the foundation planting. Instead of softening the harsh vertical lines at the corners of the house, pyramidal-shaped shrubs call attention to them.
