To plant shrubs in a border is fine so long as their natural habit is known beforehand and they are planted accordingly and in a way that complements rather than competes. Given the choice, however, a shrub planted in isolation either in a bed or in a lawn enables one more easily to appreciate its individual characteristics. Thus, if planted in a bed or border, its companions should not be allowed to crowd it out. Shrubs interplanted with hardy perennials of the less robust kind, bulbs or ferns are acceptable in the right mixture and the right situation. Shrubs interplanted with trees can create a natural and pleasing, even impressive effect, again in the right mixture and situation. Unless the shrub is known to be tolerant of shade then avoid planting shrubs beneath a tree's canopy and be sure to check a tree's ultimate size and characteristics before planting it among or near to established shrubs. The ideal situation, perhaps, is one in which a shrub, known for its beauty of form or special feature, is planted as a specimen in isolation. It may be a small shrub in a small garden or a large shrub in a large garden, whatever the choice, so long as the balance is right, it will provide a feature to be enjoyed for years to come. The choice of shrubs for specimen planting is a personal matter, but when considering that choice one should bear in mind the variety of features a particular shrub has to offer. The main ornamental features to be found in the shrub kingdom are habit, bark, leaf, flower, fragrance, fruit and autumn colour. Two of these-fruit and autumn colour-are autumn features though several shrubs fruit outside this season. Habit and bark are all-the-year-round features although often best seen and appreciated in winter. Flowers and fragrance, depending on the chosen shrub, can be had at any time in the year while leaves are a summer feature in deciduous shrubs and an all-the-year-round feature in evergreens. It is possible to have shrubs with more than one feature-a holly for instance with attractive habit, evergreen leaves (plain or variegated) and colourful fruits; or preference may be given to a single-feature shrub such as Forsythiax intermedia 'Lynwood' whose only ornamental asset is its glorious flower display in April. There are shrubs to suit all tastes and in order to help make the choice a little easier the following is a selection of some of the more interesting and ornamental kinds, discussed on a seasonal basis. Winter Winter is often regarded as the back end of the year and a bleak season fi shrub lovers, which is just not true. It is, for instance, the best time admire those shrubs with coloured or otherwise ornamental barks, who have seen the blue-white stems of Rubus cockburnianus would deny tl they are amongst the most striking of all shrubs for this feature. Twoothi species-R. biflorus and R. thibetanus-are quite as good, and providing thi old shoots are cut clean away immediately after flowering they will continue to produce bright young shoots to see the winter through.