It’s spring and that means that many of you will be planning to overhaul your landscape design. If that is what you plan to do, keep in mind that solid landscape design principle should be followed. The primary key being that evergreens are the anchors of any solid design. There are a few evergreen shrubs that you should consider for your landscape:
Taxus Yews
These guys are extremely over-planted but they still are good for any landscape. They have dark green foliage and the new growth is neon colored. They have very little issues with insects or disease and will live for 80 years if cared for properly. They can also take a heavy shearing year after year with no visible effects on health.
Arbs
Also called “cedars,” arborvitae bushes are a more modern evergreen and can be shaped into many forms such as upright, globe or even grown together in mass into hedges for screening. The arborvitae also gives off a sweet smell when trimmed. They do get bagworms and spider mites, but those are easily knocked out with proper applications. The biggest problem with Arbs is their weakness when snow gets piled on them during winter.
Yev
Evergreen Boxwoods
If you want an evergreen with a more standard “leafy” appearance, then boxwood is for you. The boxwood is a formal appearing evergreen with small leaves. They are very versatile and can take a pretty heavy shearing during the year if you want to keep them small. They care susceptible to wind burn if planted out in the open.
Boxwoods
Tea Olive
Tea Olive is an evergreen shrub that produces tiny fragrant blossoms in fall. Its sweet fragrance is similar to the smell of peaches. These shrubs can be pruned as low as 4 feet. Tea Olive can also be used as a hedge plant or as an individual specimen plant. It grows in an acidic soil that is fertile and moist.
Tea olive
Holly Shrubs
Good old holly evergreens are favorites of many gardeners. They have a stately, yet wild appearance and can grow in any form and achieve any size. Their prickly leaves give a nice change to the boring evergreen family. They can get a few insect issues, but not many. These are your best choice for originality and classy design.
Holly shrub
Japanese Aralia
The Japanese aralia plant is also known as glossy-leaved paper plant, false castor oil plant, and fig-leaf palm. This species is native to southern Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. It may be kept as houseplant or in a container garden throughout most of the world. It is propagated both from seed and cuttings. Japanese aralia is an easy-to-grow plant that is resistant to most plant diseases and pests.
These are just a few of the basic evergreen bushes or shrubs available to act as a foundation for the rest of your landscape. As always, check with your local nursery to find out which ones will work best in the area of the country you live in.