A low-maintenance shrub with year-round interest, dramatic floor, and versatility – yes, please! If you’re not using Fire Chief™ Arborvitae in the landscape, maybe you just aren’t sure what to do with it. Here are five ways to put this workhorse to use in your garden.
1. Carefree Borders and Hedges
If you love the look of a clipped hedge but loathe the work, Fire Chief™ is the answer for you. Line a walkway or set a low-growing hedge along the patio with this nearly perfectly globe-shaped shrub. Unlike other arborvitae or boxwoods, no pruning is needed to maintain the compact, rounded form. It’s almost too good to be true.
2. Robust Container Plantings
Few shrubs are hardy enough to provide year-long color in containers. Many shrubs with colorful foliage burn up in full sun, while others wither in the cold. But not Fire Chief™ – the soft, colorful foliage tolerates heat and sun, and won’t burn with winter’s chill, keeping containers shining all year long. Try them in your toughest locations – the sunny patio, the wind-blown entryway. Just keep them watered for a stunning display.
3. Mixed Beds and Borders
While Fire Chief™ is bold enough to use as a specimen, it also plays well with others. Scatter individuals throughout mixed beds and borders to complement diverse plant forms and add a splash of evergreen color. Set it against sturdy green shrubs like Baby Gem™ Boxwood for a colorful accent, and pair with the upright ‘Orange Rocket’ Barberry for a unique combination of color and form. Repeat the fiery colors with vibrant blooms in ‘Celebration’ Gaillardia and ‘Flame’ Drakensberg Daisy™ Hardy Garden Gerbera.
4. Rustic Charm
The bronze hue and fine texture give Fire Chief™ a rustic air. Use it to dress up wooden structures such as fences, sheds or arbors. It also blends well with stonework in walls or rocky slopes. Plant it alongside Bells of Fire™ Tecoma and Chef’s Choice® Rosemary for cottage-style charm.
5. Mass Appeal
The low mounding form of Fire Chief™ is perfect for massing below upright and vase-shaped plants like Early Bird™ Crapemyrtle White. For a surprisingly harmonious color combination, plant with Red Diamond™ Midsize Loropetalum. The burgundy loropetalum foliage paired with the orange and green hues of Fire Chief™ create a color triad that is both vibrant and balanced. For more subdued color, accent the hints of gold in Fire Chief™ with a mass of Evergreen Stella™ Daylily.
