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Texas Gardening

Need Specimen Shrub Recommendations

16 years ago

I am wanting to plant a specimen shrub about 4' from my driveway in my front yard to provide a little more separation from my neighbors, but don't need total privacy (though I wouldn't complain about it either). I'm looking for a shrub that gets at least 4' tall - I just don't want anything that would hurt my driveway with it's roots. The area that it's in has mostly alkaline clay soil and I'd guess that it's considered "full sun". Any suggestions?

Thanks.

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Comments (5)

birdbite
Original Author
16 years ago
Answering my own question, but would still love suggestions - would a vitex be ok? Do they have bad root systems that would hurt my driveway?
lyfia
16 years ago
They get to be the height of a small tree so unless that is what you want I'd stay away. Pending pruning they may also look like a tree. They also get really wide I had two that both were 10' + in diameter at my old house. They are beautiful when blooming and attract hummingbirds and butterfly's, but city of Austin has them listed as invasive in their list of invasive plants and others to choose instead.

See the below link for ideas for shrubs.

Here is a link that might be useful: shrubs
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Yes, the Tropicana is the one I've fallen for! I know canna spread &/or multiply--do you over what period of time? (Trying to decide how many bulbs will make a healthy cluster w/out creating a future monster like my dahlias evolved into :). I'll check Sunset. I *adore* the Echium gentianoides and it would look stunning in front of the canna. It's the same color as the trim of the house (see link below--a old incarnation of one relevant bed, and the white is now repainted blue). The Tropicana canna would be beautiful with the echium in front of it, and something smaller to contrast with the echium at the stones. I also like the agapanthus Elaine--there are others in the garden which bloom normal lavender. The Verbena bonariensis would mix nicely in a center bed which has many variegated iris there for the beauty of their foliage; but their fairly inconsequential yellow flowers fade quickly, and the Verbena could incorporate and make a nice textural contrast which echos the canna/echium combo. Here is a link that might be useful: French blue house trim and bed...
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missinformation
16 years ago
Cotoneaster looks good year-round. Not sure how wide you want it to get, but you can always chop it back a little every few years. If you do want a small tree like a vitex, kidneywood is great. Not much to look at in winter, but the smell is heavenly when they're in bloom. Rosemary would work. Wax myrtle might get a little taller than you want, but it's a good one for full sun, and evergreen. Texas sage would also be happy there, but it gets about 8' tall and spindly if you don't chop it back every now and then. We just cut ours back to 3' after 9 years, and they're coming back nicely with lots of growth from top the bottom.

And I know this isn't a popular plant with a lot of people, and it would need to be cut back once a year, but I love my varigated privets. Very nice year round, and smells like a jasmine when they bloom.

Tell us what you decide!
denisew
16 years ago
I know you said shrub, but how about a rose bush? 'Knockout' grows to about the size you're looking for and will provide beautiful blooms all during the growing season. You can get them in red or pink. They look great in mass plantings too, so you could plant a whole row of them if you like.

Here is a link that might be useful: Knockout Rose
birdbite
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for all your suggestions! I looked up the Kidneywood tree mentioned, and it is so neat. I'm not sure how it would like our heavy clay soil though. And the knockout roses are really nice (I have 3 in the backyard) but I need something without thorns on it so my dh won't be bleeding while mowing that area. :) I ended up going with my own suggestion even though I feel that somewhere out there, there is a more interesting perfect shrub/small tree. I bought a white vitex and will keep it trimmed into a small tree. I think it will do for that area. Thanks again for all of your suggestions!

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