When warm weather rolls around, your list of outdoor chores often grows faster than your plants. If you’d prefer to spend more time enjoying your yard than maintaining it, work shrubs into your landscape plan. Whatever your landscaping need, chances are shrubs can do the job. They are multitalented beauties with much to offer. Flowering shrubs bring vibrant color to a yard without the fuss of annuals. Popular flowering shrubs like Rose of Sharon and Butterfly Bush add dazzle and attract birds and butterflies. Landscape shrubs aren’t just beautiful, they can be practical, too. Some, like the beloved Crepe Myrtle, grow tall enough in warmer climates to shade a courtyard or patio. Evergreen shrubs like Holly can define property boundaries, create privacy screens and serve as windbreaks. When choosing shrubs, be sure to select plants well-suited to your area and the growing conditions of the intended planting site. Purchase shrubs from a reputable garden center or nursery, and be sure to inspect plants closely. Don’t buy any that have the slightest signs of pests or disease. An ailing shrub can turn into a high-maintenance nightmare, so be sure to start with healthy stock. Improper planting can also hinder a shrub’s welfare. Dig wide planting holes, but make them shallow enough to plant shrubs at the same depth they were planted when you purchased them. For optimum health, water and fertilize regularly. Proper hydration and nutrition is essential for healthy plants. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a maintenance-free yard. You’ll need to invest a few hours each year in pruning. Take out weak or crossing branches, and at the first sign of any disease, follow the age-old gardening adage and “nip it in the bud.” If you plant some suitable shrubs and follow up with sensible maintenance, your outdoor chore list will surely shrink. Then you can relax and truly enjoy the wonderful place you call home.