How to Choose Shrubs

When discussing the various shrub options that perform well in a Peoria landscape, frequently a Hoerr Nursery customer will ask, "Which one do you like?"

Since we grow so many of them ourselves, we tend to like them all. But the best advice is not to go by what we like, but to select a shrub based on what YOU like, and one that will work well in the soil and light conditions you have in mind.

Some considerations to guide your decisions may include:

• Flowering or not
• Evergreen or deciduous
• Disease-resistant or requiring more attention
• Fast growing or not
• Hedge/privacy possibility or more open structure
• Winter interest or spring or summer highlight
• Sun or shade
• Height or width. For example a Smokebush (such as Cotinus coggygria ‘’Royal Purple’) can reach up to 15’ and some compact forsythias are only 4’ high but may reach to 12’ in width.
• Unusual color, such as the dramatic winter color of the Redtwig Dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’) or the WOW visual impact, of a shrub such as the Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Cortorta’)

Here are some excellent choices for flowering shrubs for foundations, borders, perennial beds or even as lawn specimens (meaning a focal point of your landscape): Be sure to talk with a Hoerr Nursery expert to select one that will exceed your expectations!

• 'Afterglow', 'Red Sprite'
• 'Alice', 'Sike's Dwarf' & 'Snow Queen' Oakleaf Hydrangea; many of the hydrangeas are exceptional.
• 'Arnold Promise', Common & Vernal Witchhazel
• 'Erie' & 'Judd' Viburnum
• 'Henry's Garnet' & 'Little Henry' Sweetspire
• 'Golden Glory' Corneliancherry Dogwood
• 'Sixteen Candles' & 'Ruby Spice' Summersweet Clethra
• ‘Crimson Pygmy' Barberry 'Mt Airy' Fothergilla
• 'Moonshadow' Euonymus

For some suggestions on disease resistant varieties, there are hundreds of ideas. You may consider many varieties of roses such as shrub roses; some of the newer very popular varieties of boxwood, or you may consider the bottlebrush buckeye.

We sell shrubs as: balled and burlapped (B&B), container-grown, or containerized. Balled and burlapped shrubs we have grown ourselves. Generally, you can plant shrubs that you buy from us, anytime the ground is not frozen.

As you are planning on your shrub purchase and placement, consider the mature size of the shrub. You will want to allow enough space from the foundation of your home, or enough space in your perennial garden to offer a roomy area for the mature size for each shrub you selected.

Bear in mind though that often the new or more exotic varieties may sell out, so it is best to purchase your shrubs as soon as they are available and close to when you will be able to plan them.

Please visit Hoerr Nursery soon to let us help you select a collection of shrubs that will work well in your garden.