How Do You Use Trees And Shrubs For Color In The Southern Landscape?
When the southern summers hit their peak, gardeners do not want to be working in all the heat, but they do want to see color in their landscapes. Annuals can certainly perk up a garden, but they must be installed by the gardener, and that takes hard and hot work in the 95-plus degree temperatures. There is an easier way to provide color in your landscape using shrubs and trees. They usually bloom every year with minimal effort. Try a vitex tree (Vitex agnus-castus), also called a chaste tree. From late May through June, this shrub will give you 5- to 7-inch lavender-blue flower spikes. If you deadhead the flowers before they go to seed, you will often see a second bloom in July or August. Even without flowers, the shrub, although deciduous, has star-shaped leaves, grayish green on top and gray underneath. This fast-growing shrub will reach a height of 10 to 15 feet with an 8-foot spread. If you prune through the years, you can train it from being a shrub to being a small tree. Consider
