Evergreens for Sun

• Evergreens keep their foliage year-round. For hedges, fences or privacy screens, choose dense-foliage evergreens. The wintergreen barberry (Berberis julianae) grows to 8-feet tall with a 6-foot spread. This upright, dense shrub has dark green, pointed foliage and blooms with a profusion of small, yellow spring flowers followed by blue-black fall berries. Wintergreen barberry grows best in full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
  
  The Savin juniper (Juniperus sabina) adapts to a variety of soils but prefers full sun exposure. This low-maintenance evergreen grows well in urban sites and has blue-green, awl-shaped needles. Savin junipers grow slowly to 6-feet tall with a wider spread.
  
  

Evergreens for Shade

• Sites that receive two to three hours of direct sunlight each day are known as partial shade, while light-shade areas receive four or five hours of sun each day. The English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) grows from 10- to 18-feet tall with a 30-foot spread. This wide, rounded shrub has dense, dark green foliage and produces fragrant white flowers in spring. Plant the English laurel in partial shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil.
  
  The Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) also tolerates partial shade and thrives in moist, well-drained and slightly acidic soil. This holly grows from 6- to 10-feet tall with a similar spread. Japanese holly has glossy, serrated foliage that need protection from winter wind.
  
  

Deciduous for Sun

• Deciduous shrubs lose their foliage in winter, so choose landscape varieties that offer colorful blossoms or attractive fall foliage. The red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) has serrated leaves that turn crimson to purple in autumn. The red chokecherry grows to 10-feet tall and 5-feet wide, thrives in full sun and tolerates dry to wet soils.
  
  The Peking cotoneaster (Cotoneaster acutifolius) tolerates a range of conditions, from salt to wind, and thrives in full sun and loose, well-drained soil. This deciduous shrub grows to 10-feet tall with an equal spread and has yellow to red fall foliage. The Peking cotoneaster blooms with clusters of pink flowers in June, followed by showy, black fall berries.
  
  

Deciduous for Shade

• Sites that experience an equal mix of sun and shade during the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. are classified as lightly shaded. The Japanese beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica) grows in light shade and prefers well-drained soil. This rounded shrub grows to 6-feet tall with a similar spread and produces showy, shiny purple berries in fall. This fast-growing shrub requires regular pruning.
  
  The sweetshrub (Comptonia peregrina) prefers sites with partial shade to full sun and sandy, acidic soils. This adaptable shrub grows to 4-feet tall with an 8-foot spread and has fragrant, fern-like foliage. The sweetshrub is native to the Northeastern U.S.