Lined with white blooms in early spring, spiraea's stems look snow covered. C ommon shrubs and a tree contribute to the new landscape by adding texture, form, and height. Some of the shrubs produce berries or seasonal blooms for an added bonus. The selection and placement of these plants were so critical because we didn't want them to cover up windows or block walkways in a year or two. This tree will, in time, grow to about 20 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for the small lot.
Japanese maples perform best in a slightly shady location.
Carissa' holly will grow spiny leaves if it reverts to its parent, Chinese holly. We placed 13 on one side of the walk and 23 on the other. These evergreen shrubs will grow 3 to 4 feet high in time. They don't produce berries like many hollies, but their durability and size make them a nice choice for the foundation plantings. Their leaves have one soft spine, so they aren't difficult to work with, like some of the spiky hollies.