photo credit: Anika Malone

There are also stories created in the backyard. Many people include a hobby or interest in the backyard. Sports, art, a hobby such as trains are just a few of the many stories that surface in the backyard design.

For those who are interested gardening and landscaping starting your own shrubs lead to interesting stories. Your new shrub may be from a clipping off your Grandmothers bush or from a friends yard.

My most interesting shrubs came from a restaurant in South bend Indiana. The restaurant caught on fire while we were attending a Studebaker car show. We were in the hotel  next to the building. The next year we returned for another car show and stayed at the same hotel. the restaurant had enough damage that it went out of business but had not yet been torn down.

The bushes were so pretty out around the abandoned building and I knew the building would soon be torn down and the bushes would be bulldozed.  I borrowed a pocket knife from a friend and took clippings of the bushes. I found a nursery and bought some liquid plant starter, sans and paper cups.

Needless to say, the other Studebaker club members had a few laughs over my adventure.

I spent one afternoon starting shrub clippings in the hotel room. They were stored in the  room until we left and made the eight-hour trip home in the trunk of a 59 Studebaker.

Shrub clippings can be collected from friends and it’s amazing how many people will share a small clipping of their favorite shrub to a stranger who asks. It always leads to an interesting story and usually a few free perennials or plants.
photo credit: Mick E.Talbot

My backyard has perennials and shrubs from many states. I just have to check the growing zones of any shrub I get from another state.

**** I also check to make sure its not an invasive plant in my state or that the plant does not have any insect on that would not be good to bring to my community. Please this is a very important step to take. It’s even important when buying plants from a local nursery.

Fall is one of the best times to start shrub clippings. They have enough time in the fall to develop roots, particularly if you use a rooting hormone. And when spring returns they are a small plant ready to grow into a beautiful shrub that will add character and beauty to your landscaping and backyard design.

Here are two excellent sites for information on how to start a healthy clipping.

Propagate your shrubs from softwood cuttings

Shrub propagation

Starting you own shrubs makes for intersting stories for your guests but it also saves money and they make great gifts for company.