Shrubs are woody multi-branched plants that range in size between 2′ and 12′ high. Anything smaller is usually considered a ground cover and anything larger is considered a tree. A shrub can either be deciduous (meaning it drops its leaves in the winter) or evergreen (meaning the leaves are persistent throughout the year). We only have a few evergreen shrubs to choose from here in Summit County. In fact, there are only four: Broadmoor Juniper, Chinese Pfitzer Juniper, Mugo Pine and the Dwarf Alberta Spruce. The rest of them are deciduous.

Design wise, shrubs have a lot of practical functions. They can provide windbreaks, control drifting snow, reduce soil erosion, act as sound barriers, or they can provide background for ground cover areas or perennial flowerbeds. They can also provide habitat for nesting birds, and food for local wildlife. If you have a lot of wildlife, like elk and deer then you might need to protect your shrubs for a few years until they get large enough to withstand a little browsing from the locals.

In addition to these practical applications, shrubs provide an aesthetic component because of their blossoms, fruit or scent. Some shrubs known for their heavy scent are the lilacs, butterfly bush, and roses. Some great flowering shrubs that work well in Summit County are Western Sand Cherry, Potentilla, Snowball Viburnum and Honeysuckle. Shrubs known for their fall color are Alpine Currant, Amur Maple, and Redtwig Dogwood.

The most important thing to consider is the elevation of your home, so that you know which shrubs are adapted to your location.

Remember. most shrubs available to us in Summit County, are grown in nurseries on the Front Range. These shrubs need time to adapt to our elevation and harsh winters. You can plant dormant shrubs (plants that have not leafed out yet) in the spring, as soon as the ground thaws, but if the plants have leafed out with that tender new growth, it is better to wait until after the last frost, to plant your shrubs. This will keep the new growth from getting frost damage.

If you want to see what of any of these shrubs look like, type the scientific name into Google Images on the web and you will get dozens of pictures of the plant. This can help you decide if you would like to include this shrub in your garden.

John Longhill is the owner of John Longhill – Landscape Architect (www.john-landscapearcthitect.com) A site planning and landscape design office located in Silverthorne. John can be reached by phone at (970) 468-0924 or email at

askjohn@john-landscapearchitect.com.