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...[More]
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,...[More]
Just because a flower doesn’t bloom in winter doesn’t mean it can’t still provide interest to the garden. These plants all have seeds or seedpods that catch the eye in the garden, or catch the snow and make beautiful sculptures in the landscape.
A tree you can utilize in the garden to provide winter interest is the Golden-Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). Hardy in zones 5-9 this medium tree grows to a maximum of 30-40’ tall. Tolerating otherwise difficult areas this deciduous tree has brown Japanese lantern-shaped seedpods decorating it throughout the winter. These delicate looking seeds add an element of elegance to a winter landscape.
Purple-leaf Hazel (Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea’) is a large shrub that provides a winter focal point. This upright shrub grows to 20’ tall in zones 5-8 and in the winter is covered in beautiful purplish catkins. It also produces edible hazelnuts making it an excellent addition to the garden.
A group of shrubs that holds interest during the winter is the Hydrangea spp. Whatever your favorite variety of this beloved flowering shrub happens to be, the large blossom clusters form lasting dried flower heads that benefit the winter landscape. Just let the...[More]
It almost seems an oxymoron; winter blooms. When I first began to discover the potential around me for colorful flowers during the winter "dormant period" I was amazed. By carefully selecting a few of the plant varieties we’ll discuss below, you will be able to enjoy beautiful winter blossoms even with snow on the ground.
Some of the most useful winter-flowering shrubs in the average landscape are the witch hazels (Hamamelis spp.). These shrubs usually grow around 12 to 20’ tall although this depends on the variety. In a range extending from Nova Scotia, west to Ontario, and south to Texas, and Florida, common witch hazel flourishes on shaded north-facing slopes, along fence rows, country roads, and the stony banks of brooks. The lovely floral fragrance is a delight in the dead of winter.
All varieties have late-autumn to winter blooms that appear like magic on the dark, bare branches. The rounded and open growth habit makes for a lovely addition to the garden in summer as well. Check for hardiness as some varieties are hardy through zone 7 or some all the way through 3 or 4.
Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) a broadleaf evergreen shrub can...[More]
