We shouldn’t underestimate the usefulness of shrubs in our landscapes!
By Kevin Dickey
Shrubs have a lot of uses in both our home and natural landscapes. They provide valuable services to us (people) and wildlife. These services include such things as: Aesthetics, Food, Privacy (for people) and Cover, Nesting Sites, Food, Floral Resources (for wildlife). I recommend planting native shrubs to provide the most benefit to wildlife. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few non-native shrubs that benefit our birds and other species of wildlife, but the native shrubs are best.
Summersweet (Clethra Alnifolia)
This shrub was planted five or six years ago, as a half gallon size starter. This is it’s best year so far (blooming wise). I’ve had to be rather patient with this one, as it has been a very slow grower. With how it has bloomed this year (the bees are loving it) I’m glad that I had such patience. To me, as a Naturalist, a plant seems like it fits in more when bees and other pollinators are able to take advantage of it.
Lakeland Audubon Society 