EVERGREEN Plant listsBroadleaf evergreen shrubs provide color year round, making winter interest in the garden easy. The following evergreen shrubs are all broadleaf shrubs with foliage in shades of green.
Mountain Laurel ‘Freckles’ (Kalmia latifolia ‘Freckles’) – A native evergreen shrub, the mountain laurel prefers acidic soil with good drainage and part shade to full shade. The mountain laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub and ‘Freckles’ has white flowers with maroon specks on the petals that truly look like freckles. ‘Freckles’ is a compact evergreen shrub growing only 3-6’ tall.
Green Gem Hardy Boxwood (Buxus ‘Green Gem’) – One of the hardiest broadleaf evergreen shrubs, the ‘Green Gem’ boxwood is hardy to zone 3b with protection or zone 4 unprotected. A fragrant shrub, this boxwood is a compact 2’x2’ and keeps its rounded shape with little to no pruning. Glossy evergreen leaves and inconspicuous but fragrant white blooms are added features of this broadleaf shrub. Protect the shrub from drying winter winds.Evergreen shrubs add color to the garden year round and can become the planning foundation for an entire garden design. The best thing about these plants is they provide stunning color accents because...
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boxwood, evergreens, gardening, herbs, landscape, laurel, winter interest, wormwood
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In the winter, evergreen plants move from the background elements we build the rest of our gardens around, to the primary players that are hugely important. A winter landscape without spots of green would be bleak indeed. Casually dismissed at times, evergreens come in several categories. Be aware that even with evergreens, many plants change color during winter. Some plants turn sickly shades of brownish-green such as the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) although not all individual plants will. Others, such as some azaleas and rhododendrons turn lovely reddish or yellow colors on leaves that last the season long.Consider looking at evergreens from the following color categories: - Conifer Evergreen Shrubs
- Broadleaf Green Foliage Shrubs
- Varigated Foliage Shrubs
- Colored Foliage Shrubs
Also, don’t forget that evergreen plants in the winter garden do not just come in the form of shrubs or trees. Many perennials will hold cover through the winter and are evergreen, or semi-evergreen. Some of these plants include lavender, hellborus, many sedum varieties, coral bells (Heuchera spp.), yucca plants, some ornamental grasses and more.
Evergreen ground covers include ajuga, creeping phlox, thyme, and creeping juniper.
Vines that are generally evergreen include English ivy,...
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evergreens, gardening, landscape, shrubs, winter interest
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BERRIES
Just picture one of the classic winter icons, the holly (Ilex spp.), with its bright red berries set against deep green leaves and you will realize why berries are a perfect addition to a winter landscape. Using berry producing plants in a year-round landscape goes beyond a simple holly plant however.
Some tips for keeping your berries longer through the winter and avoiding giving them up for the birds to enjoy are simple. First plant your berry accented plants in a busier area of the garden where birds are unlikely to linger for a meal; near the entrance way, a path where people walk often or by the mailbox for example. Another thing to consider is that most birds are naturally attracted to red berries first so planting cultivars with white, yellow or orange berries may help you keep the berries from turning into snacks.
Another thing to be aware of to get the best berry production, is that some plants will need a male and female plant. Evergreen hollies and Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) need a male plant nearby for pollination and berry production. Native Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is another species...
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berries, herbs, landscape, winter gardening
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