Evergreen shrubs, known for their year-round foliage, are highly desirable for maintaining an attractive yard throughout all seasons. Not only do these shrubs provide continuous greenery, but they also contribute to the privacy of your yard. By strategically growing and pruning evergreen shrubs, you can establish clear boundaries within your outdoor space. Moreover, these shrubs typically require minimal upkeep. Many varieties of evergreen shrubs with roots that don’t invade surrounding areas are ideal for foundation plantings. Some compact or dwarf evergreen shrubs are suitable for planting near windows, although it is advisable to keep a distance of 2 to 5 feet from the walls, depending on the plant’s eventual size. For creating a dense screen to ensure privacy, shade, or protection from noise and wind, it is beneficial to plant evergreen shrubs close together, with a spacing of approximately 2 feet, depending on the specific plant.
Here are several popular options of evergreen landscape shrubs to assist you in choosing the right ones for your particular space.
Rhododendron (Rhododenron Spp.)
Azaleas and rhododendrons are plants that belong to the same group, making it challenging to tell them apart. While a few azaleas stay green all year, it is usually the rhododendron group that keeps their leathery green or bronze-colored leaves throughout the winter. In general, rhododendrons are larger shrubs with bigger leaves compared to azaleas. When it comes to their flowers, azaleas typically have five stamens, while rhododendrons have ten.
Rhododendrons are versatile plants that can be used in various ways. They can be planted individually as standout pieces, in groups for woodland gardens or shrub islands, or as foundation plants. However, they have a loose and airy growth pattern that doesn’t make them suitable for creating hedges.
You can grow rhododendrons in backyard garden decorations. Just choose and plant these flower seeds with one color to make it look bolder throughout the spring. Use purple for an attractive impression and of course have a color contrast with other green plants around it. Flowers that bloom simultaneously make the garden vibes more enjoyable. Purple Color Rhododendron from @knudshus
Look at the rhododendrons that are blooming beautifully, they have eye-catching colors to be used as photo backgrounds when outdoors. Take care according to the recommended rules, you can give fertilizer according to the measure and can water it every morning so that these flowers can still bloom beautifully all day long. Blooming Rhododendron from @nicolemariamaple
Don’t just plant rhododendrons with one color, now you can plant them with a variety of color choices such as pink, red, purple and white. All of these beautifully blooming flowers are ready to serve as outdoor focal points. This flower will bloom simultaneously when spring arrives, isn’t it a smart idea that you can do this year. Colorful Rhododendron from @dinxy007
Wintercreeper (Euonymus Fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ )
Emerald ‘n’ Gold euonymus is a type of shrub that stays green all year and is valued for its leaves with a mix of green in the middle and golden edges. It is a small shrub, reaching a height of around two feet, but it can spread out as far as four feet. This shrub is versatile and can be used as ground cover in both sunny and shady areas. With some support, it can also climb low walls. In the fall, its foliage changes to a pinkish-red color, and in colder regions, it may shed some leaves. However, it’s important to note that Euonymus scale, a type of insect, can be a significant issue for this shrub.
Wintercreeper is one of the low maintenance shrubs. Just give enough water intake every day. No need to be too wet, the most important part of the soil is moist enough. It’s not enough to stop here, you can also add several doses of fertilizer or anti-weed so that this type of shrub can develop and grow well throughout the year. Sleek Leaves Wintercreeper from @hightechlandscapes
False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Golden Mop’)
‘Golden Mop’ (or ‘Gold Mop’) is a unique evergreen shrub highly appreciated for its charming golden foliage. It belongs to the Sawara cypress family and has a distinctive feature: instead of the typical sharp needles, it has awl-shaped needles.
This shrub, a slow grower, forms a compact mound and is a variety of the C. pisifera species. It takes approximately ten years for ‘Golden Mop’ to reach its maximum size of five feet. It showcases long, flexible branches that bend and sway, resembling whips. It is commonly used in foundation plantings, rock gardens, or as a striking focal point in small spaces.
Another type of shrubs that you can use in outdoor garden areas is false cypress. The leaves that look unique are almost in harmony with the usual pine leaves in the garden around your house. Mulch is one of the planting media that you can use, it is easier to get and has a fairly affordable price. False Cypress Shrubs from @my4seasonsgarden
Boxwood (Buxus spp. and Hybrids)
Boxwood is an evergreen shrub with tiny leaves and a compact growth pattern, making it excellent for creating formal hedges. Its main appeal lies in its small, closely clustered leaves, which can be easily shaped and maintained using garden shears or electric hedge trimmers.
These shrubs have a slow growth rate and typically stay under five feet in height, often being trimmed even shorter. While they are generally evergreen, they are sensitive to harsh winter winds that can damage the foliage. Apart from being a popular choice for low hedges, boxwoods are also suitable for planting near foundations as part of landscaping.
When you have boxwood plants in your backyard garden area, all you can do is prune them so they have a neater finished look. This plant is suitable for use as a garden hedge. Do regular pruning, for example you can trim it once a month, this pruning can be used with a large garden shears to minimize your wrists getting tired easily. Boxwood Garden Hedge from @gardencowboy
It’s a good idea to trim booxwood sections with rounded shapes and designs. This will make your garden decoration look more elegant and neat. You can trim them to the same shape but at different sizes for more variety. After the pruning is done, you can sweep the leaves around it to make it look neater too. Round Shaped Boxwood from @james_todman
Blue Holly (Ilex × meserveae)
Blue holly is an evergreen shrub with broad leaves, known for its height ranging from six to ten feet, occasionally reaching up to 15 feet. It earns its name from the dark color that older leaves acquire, and its branch stems also have a dark hue. Hollies are dioecious, meaning they have distinct male and female genders. The most popular blue holly variety is ‘Blue Princess,’ which is a female clone. To bear berries, ‘Blue Princess’ needs to have a male holly called ‘Blue Prince’ planted nearby within a distance of 50 feet.
Blue holly is a versatile shrub that finds uses in borders, screens, hedges, and as foundation plantings.
If you have a garden planter of a larger size then use it as an area to plant a type of blue holly that has bold red seeds or fruit. Try to use a planter with concrete material so it doesn’t break easily when used throughout the year. Do cleaning planter garden regularly so as not to reduce the appearance of this plant as a whole. Blue Holly Planter from @scoutlexington
