Adding beautiful year-round form to many of our garden designs, evergreen shrubs are particularly valuable in the colder winter months, adding both structure and form to a variety of landscapes.
With many evergreens boasting striking forms that can be trimmed into specific shapes, these plants are wonderful for framing an elegant gardenscape and contrast beautifully when woven in alongside an assortment of vivid and striking blooms. Generally thought to boost the garden with gorgeous shades of green all year round, evergreens can also be found to produce foliage in a variety of bold and beautiful colours too. With various evergreens blossoming beautifully perfumed blooms and juicy bright berries, come with us as we explore some unique evergreen extras that just might surprise you!
1. Buxus sempervirens
A native evergreen tree, Buxus sempervirens or “Box” is a dense yet wonderfully textured plant that we often use to enhance greater privacy or to add an extra elegant touch within our designs. Between the months of April and May, Buxus sempervirens also produces petite buttery blooms that are perfect for supporting local pollinators with a healthy dose of nectar.
2. Daphne
Gifting your garden a glorious lift of colour and fragrance throughout the colder winter months, Daphnes are a divine planting choice that enhances your garden tremendously with year-round interest. A hardy evergreen delight that is best enjoyed at the front of a raised bed or by any entrances to your home, Daphnes require little care and bloom a variety of gorgeous blush, cream and even pale yellow blooms.
3. Laurus nobilis
A beautiful evergreen shrub that can be clipped and trimmed into topiary, Laurus nobilis otherwise known as “bay laurel’ is a fabulously elegant evergreen. Flourishing a display of aromatic green leaves, the beauty of bay trees is that as well as looking absolutely glorious their leaves can also be plucked to bring garden fresh flavour to a wide variety of home made meals too!
4. Lavandula
A popular garden favourite (and popular for a reason we must add!), Lavandula is a versatile shrub that can be incorporated into many different styles of garden design due to its easy-going and verastile nature. With varieties flourishing deep purple blooms to smoky silver, lavender is a beautifully perfumed plant that can even be snipped at the stems to burn on hot coals, adding extra flavour to an assortment of garden barbecues.
5. Mahonia
Displaying an eye-catching collection of pointy and glossy leaves, Mahonia is an unusual evergreen shrub that can either be used for groundcover or to lift the back of a border with its striking yellow blooms. Burgeoning beautifully fragrant flowers, Mahonia is wonderful for creating year-round interest and even produces juicy deep purple berries in the chillier autumn months.
6. Photinia
A delightful ornamental plant that can either be found as a shrub or tree, Photinia is a charming evergreen that diffuses an extraordinary palette throughout the garden. Flourishing petite white blooms, ruby red berries and rouge tinted foliage, this shrub thrives best in a particularly warm and enclosed spot.
7. Taxus baccata
Typically referred to as “English yew”, Taxus baccata is a loyal evergreen tree that we frequently include within many of our garden designs due to its wonderful form and natural screening qualities. Showing off a glorious spread of deep green foliage throughout the year, Taxus produces a collection of tiny blooms which then morph into cherry red fruits on female plants during the autumn months.
8. Ilex aquifolium
A festive garden delight, Ilex aquifolium better known as “Holly”, is a timeless garden shrub that is often widely foraged in winter. Producing beautiful red berries, deep emerald foliage and blossoming creamy white blooms in the warmer months, Holly adds a wonderfully dense touch of texture to the garden. Extremely important to garden wildlife, Holly provides an essential source of food and shelter for a wide span of local wildlife in the harsher winter months.
9. Skimmia japonica
Finally we have Skimmia japonica. Diffusing aromatic foliage throughout your garden landscape, Skimmia is a dense evergreen shrub that flowers creamy blush blooms in the springtime and ornamental red fruits from summer right through until the end of winter. Suitable for many different planting locations and garden styles, Skimmia is a versatile shrub that produces dense evergreen foliage throughout all seasons, giving your garden an extra special touch of evergreen interest.
Eager to expand your horticultural knowledge? Browse more of our stories to find out more expert tips and tricks from our specialist team.
