Shrubs for our school garden

Adopt a site «L. Pietrobono» Secondary» School Class II C

some shrubs for our school garden 2012-2014

«L.Pietrobono» Secondary School – Class II C

Shrubs A shrub is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 6 m (20 ft) tall. Plants of many species may grow either into shrubs or trees, depending on their growing conditions. Small, low shrubs, generally less than 2 m (6.6 ft) tall, such as lavender, periwinkle and most small garden varieties of roses, are often termed subshrubs or bushes.

An area of cultivated shrubs in a park or garden is known as a shrubbery. When clipped as topiary, suitable species or varieties of shrubs develop dense foliage and many small leafy branches growing close together. Many shrubs respond well to renewal pruning, in which hard cutting back to a 'stool' results in long new stems known as "canes". Other shrubs respond better to selective pruning to reveal their structure and character.

Shrubs in common garden practice are generally considered broad-leaved plants, though some smaller conifers such as Mountain Pine and Common Juniper are also shrubby in structure.

Species that grow into a shrubby habit may be either deciduous or evergreen.

Raspberry Raspberries thrive in moisture-retentive, fertile, slightly acidic soils, which are welldrained and weed free. They dislike soggy soils and shallow chalky soils. For best results, plant in a sheltered, sunny position; although they will tolerate part shade.

Raspberries can be planted any time during the dormant season, between November and March, providing the soil is not frozen or waterlogged. Most people grow summerfruiting raspberries, which are ready for harvesting in early summer. You can also buy autumn-fruiting raspberries, which are ready for harvest from late August to October. You will see raspberries for sale in two forms: bare-root canes or in containers.

Both forms should be planted between November and March. Raspberries are usually planted in rows and trained along a post and wire system.

Gooseberry

The gooseberry is a straggling bush growing to 1–3 metres (3–10 feet) tall, the branches being thickly set with sharp spines, standing out singly or in diverging tufts of two or three from the bases of the short spurs or lateral leaf shoots. The bell-shaped flowers are produced, singly or in pairs, from the groups of rounded, deeply crenated 3 or 5 lobed leaves. The fruit of wild gooseberries is smaller than in the cultivated varieties, but is often of good flavour; it is generally hairy, but in one variety smooth, constituting the R. uvacrispa of writers; berries' colour is usually green, but there are red variants and occasionally deep purple berries occur.

Oleander Oleander grows well in warm subtropical regions, where it is extensively used as an ornamental plant in landscapes, in parks, and along roadsides. It is drought-tolerant and will tolerate occasional light frost down to −10 °C (14 °F). It is commonly used in landscaping freeway medians in California, Texas and other mild-winter states in the Continental United States because it is upright in habit and easily maintained. Its toxicity renders it deerresistant. It is tolerant of poor soils and drought. Oleander can also be grown in cooler climates in greenhouses and conservatories, or as indoor plants that can be kept outside in the summer. Oleander flowers are showy and fragrant and are grown for these reasons.

Pomegranate Punica granatum is grown as a fruit crop plant, and as ornamental trees and shrubs in parks and gardens. The Punica granatum leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with four to five petals (often more on cultivated plants). Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone. The edible fruit is a berry and is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin. The exact number of seeds in a pomegranate can vary from 200 to about 1400 seeds. The seeds are embedded in a white, spongy, astringent membrane.

Blackberry Blackberries and raspberries are generally referred to as caneberries, which includes all berries that grow on a cane, including marionberries and boysenberries. Also described as “bramble� plants, both blackberry and raspberry species derive from the genus Rubus. All caneberries have perennial crown and root systems, and produce biennial shoots that bear fruit every other year. Blackberries are native to several continents, including Asia, Europe, and North and South America, and documented human consumption was recorded more than 2,000 years ago. People have used the blackberry plant as a hedge to protect property, for medicinal uses and as a source of healthy consumption. Initial U.S. commercial blackberry production originated in the Pacific Northwest region in 1860, using plants cultivated from European domesticated species.

Broom Most of the species have yellow flowers, but a few have white, orange, red, pink or purple flowers. All members of Genisteae are natives of Europe, north Africa and southwest Asia, with the greatest diversity in the Mediterranean.

Many brooms (though not all) are fireclimax species, adapted to regular stand-replacing fires which kill the above-ground parts of the plants, but create conditions for regrowth from the roots and also for germination of stored seeds in the soil. Brooms tolerate (and often thrive best in) poor soils and growing conditions. In cultivation they need little care, though they need good drainage and perform poorly on wet soils

Myrtle The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 metres (16 ft) tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five petals and sepals, and numerous stamens. Petals usually are white. The flower is pollinated by insects. The fruit is a round berry containing several seeds, most commonly blue-black in colour. Myrtle, is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for use as a shrub in gardens and parks. It requires a long hot summer to produce its flowers, and protection from winter frosts. Myrtus communis, the Common Myrtle, is used in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica to produce an aromatic liqueur called Mirto by macerating it in alcohol. Mirto is known as one of the most typical drinks of Sardinia and comes in two varieties: mirto rosso (red) produced by macerating the berries, and mirto bianco (white) produced from the less common yellow berries and sometimes the leaves.

Juniper Juniper, any of about 60 to 70 species of aromatic evergreen trees or shrubs constituting the genus Juniperus of the cypress family (Cupressaceae), distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The juvenile leaves of a juniper are needlelike.

Mature leaves are awl-shaped, spreading, and arranged in pairs or in whorls of three.

Some species have small, scalelike leaves, often bearing an oil gland, which are pressed closely to the rounded or fourangled branchlets. Male and female reproductive structures usually are borne on separate plants. The reddish brown or bluish cones are fleshy and berrylike and often have a grayish, waxy covering. They mature in 1 to 3 seasons and contain 1 to 12 seeds, usually 3.

Heather The heather plant, also known by its botanical name of Calluna vulgaris, is a lovely flowering evergreen shrub with bursts of pink, red, white, or purple flowers. The heather plant has a variety of uses, ranging form a decorative accent in rock gardens to an ever-present favorite in cut flower arrangements. Heather plants have two main growth formations, leading to the difference in their usage in a garden or landscaping setting. One type of heather plant grows as a low-massing ground cover plant, and is excellent for shrub beds, gardens, ground problem spot coverage, and rock gardens. The second type of heather plant is an upright grower and is often employed as an accent shrub for borders, corner displays, and as potted plants. The heather plant prefers moist, mildly acidic, nutrient poor soil that drains well. The heather plant requires full sun to thrive.

Strawberry tree Strawberry tree is an evergreen broadleaf shrub or small tree with a spreading, picturesque habit, that is known for its orange-red spherical fruit (color of strawberries) borne on the limbs in the fall.

The strawberry tree grows to be 15'-30' in both height and width. While it can be left on its own to form a very large shrub, it can also have its lower limbs removed in order to shape it into a small garden tree. The upper surfaces of the leaves are a very glossy dark green color, while the undersides are paler. The limbs are clad in a gray-brown bark that peels and flakes to reveal a reddish bark beneath. With time the tree takes on a distinctive shape with gnarled trunks and branches. While they do become edible with time they still remain tough and never really do develop a good flavor. Strawberry trees grow slowly. They prefer a welldrained acidic site, with either full sun or partial shade.

Cistus Cistus is a genus of flowering plants in the rockrose family Cistaceae, containing about 20 species .They are perennial shrubs found on dry or rocky soils throughout the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal through to the Middle East, and also on the Canary Islands. The leaves are evergreen, opposite, simple, usually slightly rough-surfaced, 2–8 cm long; in a few species, the leaves are coated with a highly aromatic resin called labdanum. They have showy 5petaled flowers ranging from white to purple and dark pink, in a few species with a conspicuous dark red spot at the base of each petal., and together with its many hybrids and cultivars is commonly encountered as a garden flower. They are thermophilous plants, which require open, sunny places. This plant genus is peculiar in that it has developed a range of specific adaptations to resist summer drought and frequent disturbance events, such as fire and grazing.

Bay Leaf (Bay Laurel) Bay or sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) is the leaf from a tree in the Laurel family. It's an evergreen that originated in the Mediterranean, where it grows to a height of 40 feet. Bay laurel is beautifully appointed with medium sized, glossy, green leaves. It is not winter hardy in areas that experience freezing weather. Luckily, bay can be cultivated in a container and brought indoors to overwinter. When potted, it seldom grows taller than 6', but can be cultivated into a dense, rich specimen plant. Bay topiaries aren't uncommon, and they can be very elegant on a deck or patio. That's the good news. The bad news is that bay can be persnickety about its living conditions. It prefers rich, well-drained soil that has a sunny exposure. Plant your tree away from other plantings. Once it gets started, it will need room to spread out. This isn't a shrub. Because it's considered an herb, it's easy to underestimate bay's growth potential.

Hawthorn Like many members of the rose family, the hawthorn bears lovely, fragrant flowers; brightly pigmented fall berries, high in vitamin C; and a few thorns. A popular ornamental and landscaping plant, this beautiful tree flowers in May; thus, it is sometimes called the mayflower. The pilgrims who traversed the Atlantic centuries ago may have named their ship the Mayflower after the prosperous hawthorn tree. Hawthorn is an important botanical cardiotonic (capable of producing and restoring the normal tone of the heart). Medications are made from the flowers and especially the berries of the hawthorn tree. Hawthorn's many chemical constituents include the flavonoids which reduce blood vessel sensitivity to and damage from oxidizing agents. Various chemicals in our environment -- pollutants, smoke, and chemicals in food -- can bind to and damage the lining of blood vessels.