A good ornamental shrub or a tree is a real thing of beauty. They can be a truly fantastic addition to your garden, being both decorative and practical!
The most beautiful ornamental shrubs and trees can be found fairly easily too – most are available at good gardening stores. So, without further ado, let’s learn all about them.
Lilac
Lilac is an incredibly beautiful plant, and it has the most amazing smell to add to its charms. The lilac flowers from the late spring into early summer, and will attract hordes of pollinators to your garden. Native to Eastern Asia and South Eastern Europe, lilac grows very well in suburban gardens and needs very little maintenance. They need moist but well-draining soil, and they like a full sun position – though they can handle a little shade. It helps to give them a little pruning after they have flowered, to prevent them getting leggy, and they will benefit from some good mulch annually in the spring.
Cherry Blossom
These striking trees produce a vast amount of pretty pink blossoms in the spring, and it is the blossoms that people generally want to see – some do produce actual cherries too, but more often than not these will be pilfered by garden birds before they’re even ripe! Cherry trees can grow pretty large, up to 35 feet, so ensure that you have a good amount of space for them. They will enjoy a full sun position, and although they aren’t too fussy about the soil type, it will need to be well-draining. A little all-purpose feeding in the spring will benefit these trees, and you will need to make sure that they get plenty of water as they are establishing themselves.
Jasmine
Jasmine is a wonderful plant, with tiny delicate flowers that pack an incredibly powerful and delightful scent. They work wonderfully climbing up a trellis, or you can plant them in pots – either way they will look and smell divine! Jasmine prefers a full sun position, and you won’t get nearly as many flowers if you plant it in a shady spot. This plant is very sensitive to root rot, so make sure that its soil is well draining and that you do not overwater. Give it a good feed twice a year, to encourage optimal health – and, of course, those beautiful flowers.
Magnolia
These striking trees – or shrubs, depending on which type you have – put on a truly eye catching display with their beautiful flowers in the early spring (some types even bloom into the summer too). Magnolia likes to have just about any type of fertile, well-draining soil, and they do need to be kept moist. You won’t need to prune your magnolia much, and in fact it’s best to avoid doing so unless absolutely necessary, as this can reduce the amount of flowers.
Eucalyptus
You can grow your eucalyptus as a full-sized tree, or keep it contained to a pot if you prefer a smaller version. This is another one that likes a full sun position, being native to hot countries like Australia. It also won’t appreciate its roots sitting around in water, so ensure it has freely draining soil. This being said, eucalyptus is a thirsty plant so you will need to keep on top of watering – especially in hot, windy conditions. During the main growing season, you should feed your eucalyptus every fortnight, to ensure it is getting all the right nutrients. Give it a trim now and then to keep it in shape, and you should cover it with fleece or mulch in the colder months.
Rhododendron
An evergreen with truly stunning flowers, rhododendrons are very popular among gardeners. They are pretty hardy and low maintenance, but they will prefer dappled shade conditions (full shade is a no-no, as is a very exposed site in full sunlight). They need fertile soil that is acidic, and it will need to be well-draining for the plant’s best health. They are native to the Himalayas, and need to be kept well watered. You should avoid using tap water, as it is generally too high in calcium for these plants.
Crab Apple
This small tree has been beloved by gardeners and foragers for centuries – not only is in beautiful, but its fruits are edible. It flowers in the spring, producing small white flowers with a delectable scent. These trees are natives to North America and Asia, and as such they are pretty hardy and used to living out in most conditions. They will tolerate most soils as long as they don’t get waterlogged, and they prefer full sun to partial shade. Keep it well watered in the summer, and give it a good mulching of well-rotted manure in the spring. You can prune any dead or diseased branches in the late winter.
Ceanothus
This evergreen shrub is a great addition to your garden – particularly when it puts on its display of bright blue flowers! Ceanothus prefers to planted out so that it can spread, but if your soil is not suitable then it can be grown in a pot. This plant likes a soil that is on the alkaline side, and one that does not hold onto the water, which can damage the roots. Try to site it in the sunniest, most sheltered spot that you have, because it likes to be warm and protected. This is not a plant that needs tons of fertiliser, but a yearly feed of some all-purpose plant food will help it be its best self.
Forsythia
These hardy little shrubs are best known for their bright yellow flowers on bare branches which are produced in the early spring. Forsythia is great as a flowering hedge plant, and it is easy to grow too – it will tolerate a wide range of soils, and can be grown in full sun to light shade. This plant should be watered well for the first few years as it establishes itself, but it becomes more drough-hardy as it settles in. Forsythia won’t need much regular feeding, but you can sprinkle some granular fertiliser or mulch after pruning in the spring to give it a bit of a boost.
Thuja
This evergreen tree is great for screening your garden, as it is fast-growing and offers a really good natural fence effect. It is not too fussy about where it is placed, and will do well in full sun to shady conditions, in just about any soil. Just make sure that the soil doesn’t get waterlogged, as this will cause the roots to rot. Giving it a yearly feed with a specific evergreen feed will help it grow to its fullest potential, and you can prune it just before the spring to keep it in the shape you want. Thuja is very cold hardy, but in the most arctic of conditions it will appreciate a little fleece or mulch to keep the roots from freezing.
Final Words
As you can see, there is such a huge variety of the most beautiful ornamental shrubs and trees that you are certain to find the one that fits just right in your garden.
Now that you have an idea about the different types and how to grow them, get on down to your local garden centre and get shopping!
