Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Thursday - May 23, 2013
From: Stamford, CT
Region: Northeast
Topic: Shrubs
Title: Shrub to hide gas line and water faucet from Stamford CT
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have a small garden ( 8'x10') in front of my house in southwestern Connecticut which faces north. It gets very limited sun and the eave hangs over it. I am looking for a shrub to plant up against the house to hide the water spigot and gas line. Desired height of no more than 4 feet (I will keep it trimmed). Any suggestions -- other than boxwood, which I am very bored with -- ? Is mountain laurel able to be trimmed into a hedge? Thank you.ANSWER:
First a word from our sponsors: The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, will recommend only plants native not only to North America but to areas in which they evolved; in your case, Fairfield County, CT. This will help to ensure that the plants you choose will be able to flourish in the climate, rainfall and soils they experience. So, Buxus sempervirens (boxwood), native to western Europe, Turkey, northwest Africa and southeast Asia would not be on our list anyway. As you can see if you follow this plant link Kalmia latifolia (Mountain laurel), while it is native to Connecticut, its normal growth pattern as a single-trunked plant to 20 ft. tall would not be suitable for trimming to a shrub.
Next, another small caution we would extend. Be sure that digging in the area you have designated, where there are probably both water and gas lines, will not cause any damage to those lines. Your local gas and water companies should be able to help you with that.
We will go to our Native Plant Database, scroll down the page to Combination Search, select on Connecticut for state, "shrub" for Habit and 3 ft. to 6 ft. for Height. There will probably be a limited amount of sun that close to your house. You will need to watch the space for a few days to determine if you have "sun" (6 hours or more of sun a day), "part shade" (2 to 6 hours of sun) or "shade" (less than 2 hours of sun). When you follow each plant link on our list to our webpage on that plant, you will be able to determine if that shrub is appropriate to your space. Another caveat, don't plant your shrub too close to the wall; as it grows the shrub will expand equally all the way around and you will need to constantly prune it away from the wall, spoiling the shape of the shrub.
Amelanchier stolonifera (Running serviceberry)
Clethra alnifolia (Coastal sweet pepperbush)
Comptonia peregrina (Sweet fern)
Dasiphora fruticosa ssp. floribunda (Shrubby cinquefoil)
Hibiscus moscheutos (Crimsoneyed rosemallow)
Lonicera dioica (Limber honeysuckle)
Rhododendron canadense (Rhodora)
From the Image Gallery
More Shrubs Questions
How to Overwinter Texas Sage in PA
June 12, 2015 - I live in northeast PA. I just bought a Texas sage tree. How do I care for it in the winter?
view the full question and answer
Plants for winter installation in Houston
January 01, 2009 - What plants can you plant in the winter, Houston, Texas?
view the full question and answer
Bumelia sending up shoots in Austin
November 28, 2010 - I have a bumelia that is sending up shooters everywhere in my yard. Everywhere!! I started to dig them up, but many come from deep roots and my digging seems to have encouraged the tree to send up m...
view the full question and answer
Lack of Fruit on Forestiera
March 17, 2013 - I have not been able to get berry production on my elbow bush. I have male and female plants. Is it possible to help with the pollination process? Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Looking for shrubs to plant in Southern Illinois.
July 03, 2013 - Hi. I am in Southern Illinois. I'm needing small shrubs for a south facing area. It's a 14ft. long by 2ft. wide area. Although it's facing south, it's not real sunny. A huge tree and swing is...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |