Garden evergreens are trees and shrubs that keep their foliage year round. Most of us are familiar with needle plants such as pines, spruce, fir and yews. These are called conifers since they bear cones. Most prefer the sun but yews and hemlocks tolerate shade. Easy care and almost no pruning is required unless you want to shape them. Dwarf varieties are available in many of the cultivars and others are particularly slow growing which are useful in small spaces. There are also evergreen plants with broad leaves such as azaleas and rhododendrons.These of course are broadleaf evergreens. They do eventually loose their leaves but not until a new set has been made. Most of these prefer the milder climates. Some produce berries in the fall and others magnificent flowers in the spring. There are also those with scale like leaves such as junipers and cedars.
A great feature of evergreen landscaping is the considerable variety of shapes to work with. There are tall pyramids, dwarf, columnar, weeping and open forms. When used as a specimen they almost perform like a sculpture. Not all evergreens are green either. There are blue toned conifers such as blue spruce and yellow tinged trees and globed cedars.
When we create a garden we need to consider its architecture throughout all the seasons, not just when the flowers are blooming. This is called the bones of the garden and is usually made up of trees, shrubs and hardscape. To carry the garden through all four seasons it must be a pleasing combination of landscape plants, both deciduous and evergreen plant material. In northern climates after frost has hit, it will be the evergreens that hold your garden structure together. Perennials will be cut down and other trees and shrubs will be bare. Ornamental grasses if left will help the evergreens fill in the view. Depending on your gardening zone you will find several evergreen choices, especially for the slightly milder areas where you will have a great selection of broadleaf evergreens to add to the mix.
When landscaping with evergreens it is best to plant them in a site that will be kinder during the winter months to avoid their needles from turning brown. The best location is one that is sunny in the summer and shaded during winter. Needles have a waxy coating to prevent drying out of the foliage. Excess sun and wind during the winter takes moisture from the needles which strains the tree or shrub.
Rhodos, cedars and yews are tender evergreens and are more easily damaged. Do not plant them in very hot sites or next to reflective walls. Their leaves can become sun burned turning a brownish red for several years.
Overall the evergreens are easy to grow requiring very little maintenance. They are long lived and will still be gracing your garden after many other plants have come and gone.
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