Shrubs or Perennials? Finding the Right Balance

One of the questions I'm asked surprisingly often is whether a border should be planted with shrubs or perennials.

It's an understandable question because many gardens seem to lean heavily one way or the other. Some are packed with flowering perennials that burst into life during summer before disappearing completely in winter. Others rely almost entirely on shrubs, providing dependable structure but sometimes lacking the changing displays that make a garden feel alive.

The truth is, I don't think it's a choice at all.

Whenever I come across a border that feels balanced, interesting and enjoyable throughout the year, it's almost always because shrubs and perennials are working together. Each brings qualities that the other simply can't provide on its own.

What Shrubs Bring to a Border

Shrubs are the framework of many successful gardens. They give a border shape, permanence and structure, remaining visible throughout much of the year while many herbaceous plants come and go with the seasons.

Evergreen shrubs are particularly valuable because they continue providing colour during winter when deciduous plants have lost their leaves. Even deciduous shrubs contribute through attractive bark, colourful stems or graceful branching patterns that become more noticeable once the foliage has fallen.

Without that underlying framework, many borders can feel rather empty for several months of the year.

The Magic of Perennials

If shrubs provide the bones of the garden, perennials bring movement and change. They emerge each spring full of promise, flower throughout the growing season and often finish with attractive seed heads that continue adding interest into autumn.

Their willingness to evolve is part of their charm. Each year they become slightly larger, divide naturally or gently self-seed into unexpected corners of the border. That sense of change is something shrubs alone can never quite achieve.

Perennials also allow gardeners to experiment. If a particular combination doesn't quite work, it's usually far easier to divide or move a perennial than a mature shrub.

Structure and Seasonality

One of the reasons I enjoy mixed planting so much is that shrubs and perennials naturally complement one another.

Shrubs anchor the planting throughout the year, while perennials soften their outlines and weave colour between them. During summer, flowering perennials may temporarily become the stars of the show, but once autumn arrives, shrubs quietly take over again, ensuring the border never feels completely empty.

Rather than competing, they support one another.

Maintenance Is Different

Another important difference lies in how we care for them.

Most shrubs require occasional pruning to maintain shape and encourage healthy growth. Some flower on old wood, others on new growth, so understanding their pruning requirements becomes important.

Perennials, on the other hand, often ask for different kinds of attention. They may need staking, dividing every few years or cutting back once flowering has finished. Although they usually require more seasonal involvement, many gardeners enjoy that rhythm because it keeps them connected with the changing seasons.

Understanding these differences helps create borders that are enjoyable to maintain rather than becoming overwhelming.

Think About Longevity

One thing I've learnt over the years is that gardens are never finished.

Shrubs slowly mature, becoming more impressive with every passing year. Some may eventually outgrow their original position, requiring thoughtful pruning or replacement. Perennials continue changing too, expanding into larger clumps or gently finding new places within the border.

Good planting anticipates those changes. It accepts that today's border will look different in five years' time and different again in ten. Rather than resisting that evolution, I think it's something worth celebrating.

Every Garden Needs a Backbone

Whenever I visit a newly planted garden, I sometimes notice that it's filled almost entirely with flowering perennials. It looks colourful in its first summer, but once winter arrives very little remains.

At the other extreme, gardens planted almost exclusively with shrubs can feel dependable but static. They offer consistency without always providing the excitement that comes from seasonal change.

Finding the balance between permanence and change is, I think, one of the most satisfying parts of border design. The framework remains reassuringly familiar while the finer details continue evolving year after year.

It's About Balance, Not Rules

People sometimes assume professional gardeners follow strict planting formulas, but I've never found that to be true. Every garden is different. A contemporary garden may rely more heavily on structural shrubs and ornamental grasses, while a cottage garden might celebrate generous drifts of flowering perennials.

The important thing isn't following a particular recipe. It's understanding what each type of plant contributes and allowing them to work together in a way that suits the character of the garden.

From Marcus

If I were planting a new border tomorrow, I wouldn't start by asking whether it needed more shrubs or more perennials. I'd begin by asking what the garden needs to feel complete. Sometimes that's structure. Sometimes it's colour. Sometimes it's movement or texture. The plants themselves are simply the tools we use to create those feelings. Once you start thinking that way, the choice becomes much easier because it stops being about categories and starts being about creating a garden that feels balanced throughout the year.

Looking for Help?

Whether you're creating a new border or improving an established one, I'd be happy to help you find the right balance between shrubs, perennials and seasonal planting. Marcus Bergin Gardening provides planting advice, border renovation and ongoing garden maintenance throughout Cheltenham, Bishops Cleeve and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages.

Related Guides

• How to Design a Beautiful Garden Border

• Choosing Plants That Work Together

• Creating Colour Throughout the Year

• Layering Plants for Height and Interest

• Right Plant, Right Place

• Best Plants for Clay Soil

• Best Plants for Shade

• Low Maintenance Planting Ideas