Grouping and Clustering Trees and Shrubs

I am one of those people who likes to group and cluster trees and shrubs for several reasons. When you group different plants together, you get a mix of textures and the plants seem to develop a mini ecosystem of their own. I find that they share roots and sometimes immunity from various pests.



This doesn't always work with certain species. For example I would be reluctant to group a Colorado spruce with a May Day tree and a Mugo pine. The growth patterns and thirst for water by these three make them rather unsuitable.




I have on the other hand grouped a purple birch, a paper birch, a spirea, a cedar and a rose bush with great success. Sometimes birches appear a bit thin, so I add two varieties to give more color and contrast.



Another combination of color and contrast is the use of purple sand cherry, with variegated ribbon grass and quaking aspens. You end up with three colors and textures which are pleasing to the eye.

On a rock garden feature I have placed dwarf Mugos, perennial sage and junipers with a dash of other perennials for color.


Gardening and landscaping is always an individual taste and for just as many rules, there are rules that are broken. The garden is an ever-changing living thing and there is no perfection, only change. Consider everything an experiment and many times the experiment exceeds the expectation.