Previously, shrubs were thought of as back-garden plant perfect for filling up free space. Presently, they are featured as focal points of landscaping projects due to the rich colours and beautiful flower displays.

If you are after introducing shrubs to your garden, but you are not sure what gardening service is needed to make them thrive, the following guide is perfect for you. A number of factors play a very important role when it comes to optimal shrub performance.

In order to improve the longevity of such plants and ensure they produce the desired visual display, read these tips:

- Make sure you get the right shrubs - one of the most important steps in planting shrubs is selecting the right type for your garden. In order to determine that, you need to look at several factors. The environment you want to grow them in is perhaps the most important - sun exposure of the garden, moisture characteristics and temperatures. Another very important thing to consider if you want to ensure success of your landscaping efforts is Hardiness Zone. Check what works best for your zone and go with plants that have proven to thrive in such conditions.

- Address newly received shrubs - expert gardeners suggest that you open the shipping box immediately and inspect the plants. It is a wise idea to remove all wrapping materials and carton, as that can quickly reduce plant quality and damage the shrubs you are about to plant. If the shrubs came with potting mix included and you find it dry, apply enough water to wet the root zone. It is best if you can plant the shrubs within 1-3 days of receiving them. If that is not an option, then at least make sure they are stored in an area safe from natural elements until planting.

- Utilise your shrubs - while you can most certainly use your shrubs just for a beautiful garden display, don’t forget that they actually have a number of handy uses. A lot of expert gardeners suggest using shrubs to hide the foundations of your home. Furthermore, they make a great addition to prominent landscape features and serve to add emphasis to such areas. Shrubs are commonly used by landscape gardeners in London as feature to mass plantings and as addition to perennials, annuals and trees.

- Planting - start with preparing the soil. Shrubs thrive in well drained, organically enriched soil. As you plant them, you will do well to include some organic material in the hole. As you plant the shrub, be careful to line the root ball with the ground. In case you have dug up a deeper hole, return some of the soil inside to align the top of the root ball with the top of the hole. Fill in the rest of the hole with soil and wet the area. Don’t forget to water regularly in the weeks following planting. Once the shrubs are established, they can do with less moisture.

- Aftercare - garden care is required to ensure that shrubs remain healthy and look beautiful as time goes by. Providing sufficient irrigation is one of the most important factors for a healthy shrub. Mulching the garden beds and applying a compost layer every year is enough in most cases to supply nutrients. Adding general purpose fertiliser is also a good idea, as are 2-3 applications of water soluble fertilisers. Hedge trimming and pruning depend on the type of shrub you have acquired. As a general rule, you can deal with this any time of the year for shrubs that do not produce flowers. For shrubs that flower at a certain time, you should aim for pruning immediately after flowering occurs up until flushing new growth in spring.

Strictly follow these 5 tips for taking care of your garden shrubs and they will blossom into beautiful displays worthy of any landscape.