How to plant a shrub

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Shrubs are the living architecture of our landscapes. They are the essential mid-layer of a garden, the connective tissue that bridges the gap between tall trees and low-growing perennials. These woody plants define spaces, create privacy, offer spectacular seasonal color, and provide critical food and shelter for wildlife. Unlike ephemeral annuals, planting a shrub is an act of permanence—an investment in the future structure and ecological health of your environment. However, this long-term success is not left to chance. It is directly determined by the care and knowledge applied during the planting process.

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00:00Transcription by ESO. Translation by —

00:11Should you have a mind to, this is the ideal moment to plant any shrubs into your borders.

00:19From the middle of October to the end of November is the sweet spot to plant anything woody.

00:25Quite recently I would have said you could do it any time between November and the end of March,

00:33which is essentially the dormant season.

00:35But this is not so much about dormancy, it's about adapting to the changing weather patterns.

00:40So if you can get your woody plants in, in autumn the roots will go on growing probably until Christmas

00:46and yet with no demands from the top growth.

00:49But more importantly they will get winter wet and that season through dry periods in the summer.

00:54Having said that, the dry spring and the hot dry summer has resulted in stupendous berries.

01:01The berries this year are as good as I have ever seen them and I want to add more to this border.

01:08This end of the long orchard borders deliberately tries to fade and merge out to the countryside beyond.

01:18Longmeadow is surrounded by fields and I like to get looser and less formal and wilder as it edges out towards the boundaries.

01:26Right, what I have here is a Berberus. This is Berberus Georgii.

01:47So it's got green foliage and these wonderful, sort of slightly elongated, brilliant vermilion red berries.

01:56And, ow, it's spiky.

01:59So we'll try and avoid that.

02:09Perfect. Now, to get this in, I have to take it out the bag without scratching myself to death.

02:14This, by the way, came from the wildlife garden.

02:24Pretty good root system.

02:29Now that's a little deep.

02:31It is important to get the level right.

02:33If you plant, particularly any woody plant, too deep, they sit in a saucer.

02:38So then when it does get wet in winter, it can rot.

02:42It wants to be, if anything, slightly proud of the surface.

02:45So we'll take that out and top up the soil underneath it.

02:50Let's try that.

02:54Yeah, I think that's okay.

03:01Right, backfill.

03:03Berberus are tough plants.

03:06They will adapt to shade.

03:08They'll adapt to being dry.

03:09And they are a really good choice if, like here, you have the roots of trees sucking up a lot of moisture

03:16and you only get dappled sunlight for half the year.

03:23Now, I've had water to hand because it is really important that when you plant anything,

03:29but particularly a woody shrub or a tree, you give it a drink.

03:34Give it a really good drink now and then it will be fine all winter.

03:38This is a three gallon can and I will put all of it in.

03:44And of course, having given it really good water, the chances are it will pour rain and flood

03:50and there will be no need, but there we go.

03:53It should adapt to its new home fine, particularly at this time of year.

03:57And then next summer, I'm pretty confident that it will cope with whatever the weather throws at it.

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