Evergreen shrubs have a place almost any garden. As hedges they add structure to a formal garden. Those with unique form are wonderful accent plants and add to the garden off season interest. Evergreens are also quite practical as they can be used to create privacy as a screen or to protect more fragile plants as a windbreak. In winter evergreens add color to garden and in some instances, berries.
Azaleas (Rododendron sp.), like the rhododendron, are wonderful in all kinds of garden situations. They are as at home in the woodland garden as they are in the formal garden. They’re perfect for the shade gardens as there colorful spring flowers brighten up the garden. Once they finish blooming their lush foliage stays green all year. Occasional pruning may be needed to keep them at the size which is best suited to your garden.
Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) is dense growing evergreen shrub with medium green summer coloring with slight winter bronzing. Tolerates frequent pruning and works well as topiary shapes. Excellent foundation plant for year-round green or in formal gardens. Benefits from protection from drying winter winds to reduce tip dieback.
Arborvitae (Arbovitae sp.) is an ornamental evergreen shrub which is ideal for screening as its thick growth is uniform from to bottom. Its shapes range from tall and narrow to short and round and the arborvitae can be pruned to any shape. (Occidentalis) Branches extend to the ground on open grown trees, narrow, almost columnar crown. Very slow growing and lives for ever.
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron sp.) are great broadleaf evergreens shrubs in the formal or natural garden. Rhododendrons have outstanding flowers in the spring ranging in color from red to white to various shade of purple.
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is similar to rhododendrons in its uses. It’s perfect for the woodland garden. Its flowers are generally smaller than those of the rhododendron but still striking. Mountain laurels are available in a number of colors.
Blue Girl Holly (Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Girl’ ) An extremely hardy holly ideal as a hedge or specimen as it form a profusion of bright red berries which persist from fall through winter. Use Blue Boy holly as a pollenizer for berry set. Develops dense blue-green foliage.
Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) is reminiscent of boxwood and has a dense growth habit. Showy black berries provide additional interest to the shrub. An easy to grow shrub that makes a good hedge or low border in partially shaded areas in the landscape. Needs only light pruning, making this a true, low maintenance shrub. Grows in upright and mounding forms.
Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica) is a great n shrubs with deep green leaves and long white, pink or reddish flowers. In some varieties new spring foliage is red or bronze. They are easiest to grow and prefer to be protected from direct afternoon sun and cold winter winds. Deadhead spent flowers to promote next year’s buds.
Yew (Taxus sp.) is a shrub which grows well in sun and shade and is often used as a hedge, screen or specimen. There are quite a few different varieties including the upright, low and spreading, and the pyramidal shapes.
Juniper (Juniperus sp.) is similar to the yew in that it is often misused or over used in the garden. Junipers are a hardy, useful shrub with a variety of shapes and colors. Also like the yew, there are variety of shapes and sizes. Taller varieties are useful in the foundation planting or as a n accent while the lower growing varieties are ideal for slopes and hedges. Its lowest growing varieties are wonderful groundcovers.
Evergreens are susceptible to winter burn, particularly if newly planted, during cold, dry winters. Under such conditions they will often dry up and often die or otherwise lose a few limbs. A precaution is to water them deeply before the ground freezes in the late fall. Evergreens often suffer from snow damage as well since snow is able to build up on their branches though staking taller upright shrubs in fall reduces the chance of splitting trunks.
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