Taylor's guide to shrubs

Shrubs provide the bones of the landscape. They are versatile, useful, and beautiful. They mark boundaries, create barriers, deter animals, frame views, and block eyesores. Shrubs can promote privacy, offer a welcome to guests, or act as a background in a border. As ground covers, they can control erosion or act as an attractive, low-maintenance alternative to lawns. In their all-season versatility, they provide flowers and fragrance, colorful foliage, berries for the birds, and green color in winter. Because shrubs are not throwaway plants, it's all the more important to buy the right shrub for the right place. Too many gardeners have had the experience of putting in a neat little shrub and watching it grow to be a window-blocking monster. With this expert guide, readers will buy the right shrub in the first place and learn how to keep it looking its best.