Evergreen shrubs make companion plants look better by comparison. Our appreciation increases in mid-winter, as they liven up gardens and give color to borders that are otherwise collections of lifeless, leafless sticks.
My favorite evergreens for sun and partial sun are Buxus (Boxwood), Juniperus (Juniper), Ilex (Holly), Cryptomeria, and Thuja (Arborvitae).
This row of Buxus microphylla ‘Morris Dwarf’ makes a good border at the top of a rock wall. Purchased as 4-inch bareroot “liners,” they are ten years old, and only 12 inches tall.
Boxwoods are a garden staple in the south. Gardeners can find a Buxus to fit their site and zone. Dwarf forms look great in containers, too. Boxwoods are slow growers, so they do not require frequent pruning when grown directly in the ground or repotting when grown in containers. Their foliage has a pungent odor that some people find offensive. I find that the tiny cultivars are more expensive that their large cousins.
Junipers have needle-like foliage and withstand heat well. Cut branches have a resinous fragrance that enhances seasonal Christmas arrangement. Once branches dry out, though, those needles become sharp and shed readily.
Hollies (members of the Ilex family) are thick-leaved shrubs with cultivars that range from giant to dwarf. Please note: a dwarf ‘Burfordii’ holly will still grow to 12 feet or more. Holly flowers are tiny but loved by honeybees. Burford hollies are favored for their heavy berry-set. Most hollies have red berries but a few have yellow or orange berries. If you have space for a specimen that will reach 20 feet in height with a 15-foot spread, Ilex ‘Liberty’ is a fast grower (to 18 inches per year) with a beautiful pyramidal shape. It is a dense shrub when grown in full sun but more open when grown in part shade.
Most Cryptomeria cultivars are large, elegant trees but Cryptomeria globosa ‘Nana’ is a shrub. Globosa means “round” and Nana means short. These terms are relative, however, and in the Mary Snoddy garden C. globosa ‘Nana’ has grown to 5 feet. It has a unique texture that makes visitors touch it.
The most popular Thuja cultivars are ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae and ‘Emerald Green’ Arborvitae. The first reaches 60 feet with a 20 foot spread. The second reaches only 15 feet in height, making it easy to incorporate into smaller home gardens.
Each of these shrubs have cultivars that vary in mature size and cold hardiness. Check plant tags to ensure that you purchase specimens that are appropriate for your site.
Next week, I’ll share my favorite evergreen shrubs for shade, as well as some recommendations for narrow plants that can be used for privacy hedges in small gardens.
This lovely Cryptomeria globosa ‘Nana’ looks fabulous against a red barn, especially in contrast to the silber foliage of Artemesia ‘Powis Castle.’
These Ilex compacta hollies were planted 12 years ago from one-gallon containers. They are now five feet tall with an equal spread. While the natural shape is round and somewhat irregular, these have been pruned into gumdrop topiaries, leading the eye to the front entrance. They need maintenance pruning every six weeks to maintain this tight shape.