Are you seeking native New England shrubs or shrubs that will withstand deer in your Northeast garden? Do you lean more toward floral bushes or evergreen shrubs? We have got you covered, so do not worry. Several factors influence which shrubs are excellent for gardeners in the Northeast. The ideal bushes for your Northeastern garden are described in the following paragraphs.
Bush Types for Northeast Gardeners
Look no further than shrubs native to New England and the Northeast for minimal care landscaping. Native plants offer several benefits, not the least of which is that they have evolved to fit the environment they grow in through time. They have adapted to drought, continuously moist soil, hot summers, and icy winters. Therefore they often require little maintenance. This greatly increases their likelihood of survival.
Additionally, local animals may find food and shelter from native plants, attracting birds, bees, and other pollinators with their nectar and pollen.
Despite this, you could be bent on using a non-native plant in your New England landscaping. Non-native plants could provide you with the height, flower color, year-round appeal, and more you are looking for.
Determine your particular demands about height, bloom period and color, the potential to attract pollinators and animals, minimal care, deer resistance, and other factors before investing in garden shrubs.
Tips for Landscape Planning
It is essential to look at the details of your environment when you have determined what your plants need. Is the majority of your soil silt, clay, or sand? Dry or well-draining? Is the soil alkaline, acidic, or neutral? A soil test is the best approach to finding out what is in your soil.
Think about your solar exposure as well. Is the place where you want to plant in full, partial, or partial shade? How much sun does the location get each day? Full sun is defined as an area with six or more hours of direct sunlight, the part sun is defined as four to six hours, and the part shade is defined as two to four hours. There are less than two hours of direct sunlight per day at a shaded location.
Even drought-tolerant plants, which are rare, need more water while they are young. Is there enough water here to go around?
Once you have a general concept of how your garden is doing, you can start looking at plants. Before making a purchase, you should be aware of the shrubs’ development habits, particularly their mature size, growth, spread, and potential for invasiveness. You should also be aware of the upkeep needed.
Evergreen shrubs for New England
Although some gardeners see evergreens as fairly dull, many of them provide a stable foundation for the garden and produce brilliant leaves or berries that will attract animals and bring a splash of color to the winter scene.
Suitable evergreen bushes for New England include:
- Japanese Pieris ‘Katsura’
- Meserve Holly ‘Conapry’
- Viburnum ‘Cree’
- Rhododendron
- Azalea
- Gardenia
- False cypress
- Mirror bush
- Inkberry holly
- Arborvitae
- Wintercreeper
- Juniper
- Boxwood
- Yew
- Spruce
- Japanese holly
- Mugo pine
- Mahonia
All of them go in gardens on the east coast. Some of them serve two purposes; in addition to being evergreen, they also provide year-round interest via flower, fruit, or other growth.
Gardening in the Northeast with Deer-Resistant Bushes
Even though deer are greedy and indiscriminate eaters, certain shrubs will turn their noses up. Deer often avoid plants that are poisonous, very fragrant, and tactile. Some of the evergreen shrubs mentioned above, including arborvitae, inkberry, Pieris, boxwood, holly, and yew, meet the description.
Other choices for shrubbery that is resistant to deer include:
- mountain laurel
- eastern red cedar
- bayberry
- Bluebeard
- spirea
- barberry
- juniper
- bamboo
- wintercreeper
Butterfly bush (Buddleia), Russian sage, and swamp rose are three bushes that can withstand deer and flower. Other flowering plants that deer seem uninterested in include lilac, bottlebrush buckeye, witch hazel, fake orange, camellia, some dogwood (Kousa, Red Osier, or Red Twigged), and rose of Sharon.