• Potted azaleas look great on decks and patios.C Squared Studios/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Dwarf shrubs are those that grow no more than 3 feet tall. Dwarf evergreens have a number of uses in the landscape. They work well in perennial borders where they define areas and add structure. Use them to edge walkways and shrub borders. In groups, they add interest to foundation plantings and they look attractive as mass plantings on 4- to 5-foot centers. Some dwarf evergreen shrubs make effective ground covers for shady spots or slopes. For patios, decks and entryways, grow them in planter boxes or containers.
  
  

Encore Azalea

• Encore azaleas are compact azalea hybrids that flower in spring and again in midsummer or fall. The foliage is green in summer, turning to purple in winter. Grow them in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade. They like a light, moist, acidic soil that is well-drained and thrive in a soil with lots of organic matter. Use an azalea fertilizer according to the package instructions. Small cultivars include "Conlef" with pink flowers and "Conled" which has light orange-pink blooms with a fuchsia center. These cultivars grow 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall. Encore azaleas are not as hardy as other azaleas and will only survive winter temperatures in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 7 to 9.
  
  

Little-Leaf Boxwood

• Little-leaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla) is a fine-textured, dense shrub with a naturally shapely, rounded habit. Like its relative the common boxwood, it tolerates shearing and shaping into geometric forms. The shrub grows 2 to 3 feet tall with a spread of 4 to 5 feet. It produces flowers and fruit but they aren't ornamental, although the flowers have a nice fragrance. Grow little-leaf boxwood in any soil as long as it is well-drained. It prefers full sun or partial shade with more shade in the warmer end of its range and more sun in cooler zones. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Many cultivars extend the cool end of the range to zone 4.
  
  

Dwarf Japanese Holly

• Dwarf Japanese hollies (Ilex vomitoria var. Schillings' or var. Schilling's Dwarf) are all male shrubs so they don't produce berries. They are native to sandy or swampy parts of the Southeastern U.S. They grow well in seaside gardens as well as inland, and they tolerate excessive moisture and drought. These versatile little plants do equally well in sun or shade and they aren't picky about the soil. Dwarf Japanese holly is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10.
  
  

Siberian Cypress

• Siberian cypress (Microbiota decussata) is also called Russian arborvitae. This extremely hardy shrub grows in USDA zones 2 to 7. It usually grows 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall with a spread of up to 10 feet. It grows well in full sun or partial shade and a moist, very well-drained soil. It won't tolerate heat or heavy soil and doesn't compete well with weeds. Don't prune unless absolutely necessary.