I need help identifying which shrubs to purchase...

[Chickenooble]

Hey everyone.

I just re-installed a chain-link fence on the side of my house to help keep my little one from escaping. When I installed the fence I tilled the area and laid down some weed block; 4ft in front and 2ft in back, for a 30' length of fence. My idea is to create an attractive buffer zone around the fence so I don't have to deal with weed eating it regularly.

To help give some privacy to the back yard and patio I want to plant some shrubs along the front of the fence.

+ Green year round to provide ample privacy for the family
+ Easy to maintain and shape (I want to keep the height at 4.5')
+ Flowering would be nice, especially if the flowers were red, purple or blue.
- No Holly bushes... I hate those.

They would get a few hours of direct sunlight each day and would also get sufficient water as we have a high water table (due to the pond on property), the location on the hill, and the downspout on the house which would discharge near the shrubs.

I just don't know what my options are for my area (northern Virginia) and I wouldn't know where to look for something so specific. I hope some of the experts around these parts might say, "Ive seen something like that before!"

Well, thanks in advance for any suggestions anyone may have. ^_^

[bullthistle]

What's wrong with Heller holly? Look at yews, remember the berries will attract children. Other oprions are Arborvitae & Juniper but they look ugly sheared. Can always go with rhodys or azaleas. Plenty of flowering deciduous. Go to a garden center and not a big box and read the information they should have posted or write down the plants and do your research online to find what you want.

[Yellowsnow]

Mohave Pyracantha is a nice shrub that may work. Not really an evergreen, but does hold onto some leaves in areas, and It does have thorns though. There are not too many flowering evergreens outside of the Rhodo family.

The best you can do is go to a local greenhouse/nursery and look at their plants. They will know more about the soil in your area and microclimate. You also may have to change your ideas of what you want to plant there.

[WildcatNurseryman]

Very green and flowerong is a little more rare that deciduous flowering.
Evergreen - Some Viburnum, Rhododendron, Azalea, Cherry Laurel, Pieris, Mahaonia, Mountain Laurel, all of which could be kept at 4' if the correct cultivar is selected.
Semi-Evergreen - Some Viburnum, Nandina, some Rhodo and Azalea, Cotoneaster.
Evergreen - Many American Arborvitae, Dwarf or Miniture Pine, Spruce, Japanese Cedar, False Cypress, and Juniper.
In order to have the bloom colors you are looking for you most likely will have to look into a deciduous shrub although blueish-purple and red Rhododendron and Azalea are common. Positioning these two can sometimes be a problem though, as the prefer shade and moist well-drained soil in a sheltered location.
I would recommend a combination of plants in groupings to allow for season long interest and monoculture promotes disease and insect problems.
Pyracantha has very mean thorns that could be dangerous for your child and for anyone trimming. Makes a good natural barb-wire.

[Chickenooble]

I would recommend a combination of plants in groupings to allow for season long interest and monoculture promotes disease and insect problems.

This past weekend was too wet for venturing out to the nursery so I plan on heading over there this weekend. When you suggest planting them in groupings... does that mean you dig a hole and shove a Rhodo and Azalea in the same hole or plant all the Rhodo's on the left side of the garden and the Azaleas on the right?

I think I had some azaleas in front of the house before I ripped out all the bushes. If I remember correctly they seemed really dense and choked with twigs. Is there a special way to prune them that will keep them looking healthy or is that just a common issue with azaleas?

[bullthistle]

Grouping means just that. To get the effect of a planting you plant in odd numbers, 3, 5, 7, depending on the plant anywhere from 3-5' apart generally stagered. No you don't plant different plants in the same hole. Selective pruning means not with shears but with pruners. Prune out bottom, middle and top. Best sit in on some clases at HD to get aclimated.

[WildcatNurseryman]

I guess I was a little more tired last night than I thought. That first sentence I wrote looks like a complete mess. I'm suprised anyone read past the first sentence- I know I didn't this time. Sorry for the jumble. Spring has definately sprung and the work is coming at me long and hard. Sorry about that, again.

[Chickenooble]

Hey all. I went with your suggestions and I went with Azaleas and Rhododendrons. I did two Azaleas, Rhodie, four Azaleas, Rhodie, two Azaleas. All are purples and reds. They're still very small since they were dropped in about a month ago, but I'm very excited to see them grow... especially since the Rhododendrons bloomed last week.

Thanks for the advice all.