5 ways to beautify your home with foundation shrubs

In addition to masking the base of the house, foundation shrubs limit the splashing of mud by heavy rain, provide some protection from extreme cold and heat, and frame the view when you look out your windows.

Evergreens provide year-round colour and structure.

• Include deciduous shrubs that feature remarkable texture or colourful flowers.

Foundation shrubs should grow only as tall as the lowest edges of windows.

• Replace overgrown shrubs with dwarf varieties that fit their space better.
• Corner shrubs can be taller but should reach only two-thirds of the way to the eaves of the house. Oversized corner shrubs tend to make a house look small.

Stack foundation shrubs in two layers, which will provide more visual depth.

• Stretch a low foundation by keeping shrubs very short and designing a bed that pulls forward into the yard. The effect will be much more harmonious than if you use taller plants.
• A fence is a good way to enhance the privacy of your backyard, but in the front yard, fences are often neither practical nor permissible.
• Instead, you can define boundaries with flowerbeds, hedges, intermittent shrubs or mixed plantings of shrubs and trees.
• Dense evergreen hedges require ongoing maintenance, but other types of boundary plantings need little care to keep them in good condition.

Hedges can mark property lines, define intimate garden "rooms," add dimension to a flat expanse or be sculpted into topiary.

•  Whether they're comprised of meticulously clipped evergreens or made up of a diverse collection of deciduous shrubs, hedges provide structure and a sense of permanence in the garden.
• They are practical for screening a deck or patio for privacy and buffering traffic noise and wind.
• They can frame a pretty vista or block an unsightly view.

Note: Planting a hedge of shrubs or trees across the front of your house hides it from view, which can create security problems and reduce the value of your home. Although the privacy created by a row of plants may seem enticing, it comes at a cost.