Shrubs are often described as the backbone of a garden, and can offer not only beautiful flowers but height and structure, foliage and berries.

Flowering shrubs are often excellent for attracting bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and many have the added bonus of deliciously scented flowers. They can also provide much needed shelter, food and habitat for wildlife – birds are more likely to visit bird feeders if they have protective shrubs to dart in and out of.

Read about the best shrubs for birds.

Some flowering shrubs have evergreen foliage and look good all year round; others are deciduous, and may offer beautiful foliage in autumn before it falls. Deciduous shrubs can be underplanted with spring bulbs such as crocus or spring flowers such as primulas, which flower before shrubs come into leaf.

You can grow flowering shrubs as focal points in a front garden or lawn or grow them in a mixed border of shrubs, perennials and annuals.

There are flowering shrubs to suit every garden. Choose carefully and you can enjoy shrubs in flower in every season of the year.

Are there any shrubs that flower all year?

There are no shrubs that flower continuously all year round. However, some shrubs do flower for a very long time, straddling two seasons, such as abelia, which starts flowering in summer and continues well into autumn. With a little planning you can plant flowering shrubs to add interest in your garden for 12 months of the year.

Jump to:

• The best spring-flowering shrubs
• The best summer-flowering shrubs
• The best autumn-flowering shrubs
• The best winter-flowering shrubs

Best flowering shrubs for spring

Camellia

Camellias bear rose-like blooms in early spring, in a range of colours including white, pale pink and red, and have glossy, evergreen foliage. They are woodland plants, so prefer light shade and acid soil – if you don’t have acid soil in your garden, grow in a pot in ericaceous (lime-free) compost. Read about the best camellias to grow.

Flowers: February/March/April, depending on type
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: 1-4m x 1-4m
Best for: Acid soil, shade, containers
Scent? No

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica)

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) is a beautiful wall shrub with attractive orange, crimson, white or peach flowers from March to May. It may produce small green or yellow quinces later in the season, which can be made into jelly. It is not fussy about soil, or aspect.

Flowers: March/April
Evergreen/deciduous: Deciduous
Height x spread: 1m x 2m
Best for: wall training, back of a border
Scent? No

Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Flowers: March/April
Evergreen/deciduous: Deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: mixed border, wildlife value, informal hedge
Scent? Aromatic, currant-scented leaves

California lilac (Ceanothus)

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen or deciduous, depending on variety
Height x spread: From 1m x 1m, depending on variety
Best for: wall training, informal hedge, mixed border
Scent? Yes

Pieris

Pieris are small, evergreen shrubs. In late winter and early spring, the fresh new leaves and shoots have beautiful and eye-catching pink or red tips. In mid spring, they bear small white or pink bell-like blooms. They need acid soil and grow well in pots – use ericaceous compost. Grow in sun or part shade.

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: 1m x 1.5m
Best for: attractive foliage in spring
Scent? No

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons bear masses of flowers in bright tones of red, pink, purple, yellow, white or purple. They like acid soil and some shade, so work well in woodland schemes. Compact and dwarf cultivars like Rhododendron ‘Princess Anne’ are best for small gardens.

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m, depending on type
Best for: bright flowers, acid soil
Scent? No

Lilac (Syringa)

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m, depending on variety
Best for: scent, wildlife, alkaline soil
Scent? Yes

Best summer flowering shrubs

Weigela

Weigelas are low-maintenance shrubs with funnel-shaped flowers in deep red, pink, white or yellow that are enjoyed by pollinators. Most bloom in midsummer, but newer cultivars such as Weigela ‘Picobella Rosa’ go through to early autumn. Some also have foliage in shades of bronze, purple, yellow or variegated. Weigelas look good towards the back of a mixed border. Grow in sun or partial shade.

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from around 1m x 1m
Best for: wildlife, back of a border
Scent? No

Mexican orange blossom (Choisya)

Choisya have glossy aromatic foliage and scented white flowers in late spring and early summer. They are easy to grow and compact, so excellent for small gardens. Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’ sometimes repeat flowers in August or September. Choisya x dewitteana Apple Blossom is a compact new cultivar with pale pink and white flowers and also repeat flowers.

Flowers: May /June
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: small gardens, scented flowers
Scent? Yes

Mock orange (Philadelphus)

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: intoxicating scent, elegant look
Scent? Yes

Elderflower (Sambucus)

Elder is a hedgerow plant but there are garden varieties available too, with attractive foliage and white or pink flowers in early summer. These are pleasantly scented and can be used to make elderflower cordial. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Eva’ (syn. ‘Black Lace’) has attractive purple-black foliage and pink blooms, while Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Gerda’ (syn. ‘Black Beauty’) has reddish-black leaves and dark-pink flowers (which will turn cordial an attractive shade of pink). In autumn, black berries will form, which birds love. They are edible, but should not be eaten raw as they cause stomach upsets. They can be cooked and used to make an elderberry tincture – a powerful antiviral.

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 2m x 2m
Best for: wildlife, edible flowers and berries (after cooking)
Scent? Yes

Flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Flowers: June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: around 3m x 5m but each varies
Best for: stunning display
Scent? No

Hebe

Flowers: June/July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 40cm to 1.5m
Best for: long flowering; evergreen interest
Scent? No

Butterfly bush (Buddleia)

Flowers: July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: decidous
Height x spread: from 80cm to 5m, depending on variety
Best for: pollinators, long flowering time
Scent? Yes

Smoke bush (Cotinus)

Cotinus are large shrubs with green, purple or gold leaves and hazy tufts of fluffy flowers in summer; many have excellent autumn foliage colour too. The common name of smoke bush or smoke tree is inspired by the flowers, which form a smoky haze around the plant. Cotinus ‘Grace’ is a popular variety that also has excellent foliage colour in autumn.

Flowers: June/July/August
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 3m x 3m, but sizes vary
Best for: flowers and autumn colour
Scent? No

Read our guide to growing cotinus.

Hydrangea

There are many different types of hydrangeas, from lacecaps that have flat flowerheads with larger petals on the outside, to mopheads that have big round blooms and the more modern Hydrangea paniculata varieties that have cone-shaped blooms and are incredibly long flowering. They come in an array of colours from white and pink, to deep blue when grown in acid soil. Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ are a favourite with garden designers. Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) have good autumn foliage colour, too. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris is a climbing variety. Grow hydrangeas in sun or light shade, in moist soil.

Flowers: July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: long flowering season
Scent? No

Fuchsia

Hardy fuchsias have dainty, often two-tone flowers that look like ballerinas in tutus, in shades of white, red, pink and purple. They can be incredibly long flowering. Popular cultivars include ‘Lady Boothby’ and ‘Mrs Popple’. Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae makes a good informal flowering hedge.

Flowers: June/July/August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: mostly deciduous
Height x spread: sizes vary
Best for: incredibly long flowering time
Scent? No

Read about the best fuchsias for your garden.

Bluebeard (Caryopteris)

Flowers: August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees and butterflies
Scent? Yes

Best flowering shrubs for autumn

Many flowering shrubs straddle summer and autumn – see our Summer selection, above.

Abelia

Many summer-flowering shrubs straddle summer and autumn, and abelias are no exception. They have an incredibly long flowering time, often beginning as early as June and continuing until October or November. They produce masses of small, white/pink trumpet-like flowers that are scented and a magnet for bees. They are slightly tender, so best grown in a sheltered spot. ‘Sunshine Dream’ is a compact variety. Abelias are semi evergreen, retaining their leaves for much of the year, especially in sheltered gardens.

Flowers: July/August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees and butterflies
Scent? Yes

Plumbago (Ceratostigma willmottianum)

Flowers: August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees
Scent? No

Camellia sasanqua

Most camellias flower in late winter and early spring, but Camellia sasanqua types flower in late autumn and early winter, when not much else is in flower. They have evergreen leaves and beautiful, scented flowers in a range of colours, including white and red. Unlike spring-flowering camellias, they do well in a sunny spot. They can also be grown as an informal and unusual hedge. Compact cultivars grow well in containers.

Flowers: October/November/December
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 3m x 3m
Best for: autumn flowers
Scent? Yes

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)

The ‘flowers’ of these bushy shrubs are actually brightly coloured, winged fruits that smother the plant in autumn (spindles actually produce insignificant flowers in late spring or early summer). These fruits split to reveal seeds in contrasting colours – usually pink casings with metallic-blue or orange seeds. This coupled with stunning autumn foliage makes the plant an arresting sight. Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’ is one of the best cultivars. Euonymus are tough plants that are happy in most soils and conditions.

Flowers: Fruits from September/October/November/December
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5 to 4m x 1.5m to 4m.
Best for: autumn fruits and stunning autumn foliage
Scent? No

Read our expert guide to growing euonymus.

Best flowering shrubs for winter

Viburnum

Depending on the variety, the white or pink flowers of viburnums appear from autumn to late spring. They are often stongly scented. Viburnums are easygoing, low maintenance shrubs that grow well in sun or partial shade. There are many viburnums to choose from: Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a popular evergreen variety with flowers from December to April; Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ has globe-shaped clusters of scented flowers from November to March.

Flowers: autumn to spring, depending on variety
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen or deciduous, depending on variety
Height x spread:
Best for: scented flowers, winter interest
Scent? Often scented

Witch hazel (Hamamelis)

Hamamelis, or witch hazel, bear spidery, citrus-scented flowers in shades of yellow, orange or red along their bare branches in winter. Many cultivars also have good autumn foliage colour too. Good choices include Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’, with yellow flowers and ‘Jelena’, with orange blooms. Grow in a sunny spot.

Flowers: December/January/February
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 3m x 3m
Best for: scent, unusual blooms
Scent? Yes

Read our expert guide to growing Hamamelis.

Daphne

These evergreen shrubs bear star-shaped, scented flowers in winter and as they are compact, are ideal for smaller gardens. They are woodland plants, so grow them in dappled shade; if you can, plant them somewhere close to the house, where their scent can be appreciated, even if you don’t venture far into the garden on a cold day. Daphnes can take a while to establish.

Flowers: January/February/March
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: evergreen interest, scent
Scent? Yes

Read our expert guide to growing daphnes.

Mahonia

Flowers: November/December/January/February/March
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 3m x 3m
Best for: long-lasting flowers, scent, pollinators
Scent? Yes

Lavender is a wonderful plant to grow in the garden. Not only does it have a stunning fragrance, reminiscent of warm summer evenings, but its flower spikes in varying shades of purple are so versatile and will lift any border or container display. Lavenders are low maintenance plants and needing little watering, unless planted in containers. They cope well with both drought and frosts are will reliably come back, year after year. A great choice if you’re time poor but still desire a spectacular display.

Bastin Nursery in the Netherlands has a renowned collection of Mediterranean plants, which includes well over a hundred different lavenders. if you’re thinking of buying a lavender but need some inspiration for which lavender plant to buy, take a look at nursery owner, Roger Bastin’s favourite types.

How to care for lavender

 Pruning lavender

Pruning is essential. At the nursery, we regularly pinch out the new growth on cuttings and young plants to stimulate lateral branching. Keep this up when you’ve just planted young lavenders.

When to prune lavender

Prune in spring to stimulate growth and prune in autumn to retain shape. Make sure you’ve finished pruning by the beginning of October, preferably earlier. Once the flowering season is over, there is no need to wait. One big advantage is the plant will continue to grow and you’ll spend your winter looking at beautiful silvery grey balls rather than bare branches. Be a bit more careful with Lavandula x intermedia, though, as it is much less hardy.

Fertilising lavender

There is hardly ever a need to fertilise lavender. And don’t water them, unless they are in pots.

When to plant lavender

Lavenders can be planted year-round, unless it’s freezing. The best time is October. Before planting, work lots of lime into the soil, about four times as much as the packaging says. Every two to three years add a maintenance dose, as prescribed. Note, however, that Lavandula stoechas cultivars and hybrids don’t want lime and are best pruned in summer.

The best lavender to grow

The Nursery’s own selection, with very pale violet, almost white flowers emerging from the deepest dark violet, almost black calyx.

The palest violet there is. Any paler and it would be white. Looks great when set off against darker colours. Hardiness rating USDA 6b-11.

The best white I’ve ever seen. Well-shaped, compact, but no dwarf. Hardiness rating USDA 6b-11.

Longest bloomer, as classically lavender-coloured as can be. Archetypal lavender at its best.

Fluffy flowers in a very special lilac. This plant is remarkable and in a colour category of its own. Hardiness rating USDA 6b-11.

The best pink flowers. Period. Hardiness rating RHS H4, USDA 6b-11.

The best dwarf cultivar – compact with dark flowers. Hardiness rating USDA 6b-11.

A new and very promising dark cultivar that keeps flowering.

A very full growing, vigorous and healthy plant with dark flowers. Hardiness rating USDA 6a-10b.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Downderry, Pillar Box Ln, Hadlock,
Tonbridge, YN119SW
Tel 01732 810081, www.downderry-nursery.co.uk
Open Thursday to Sunday, 10am-5pm.

Kwekerij Bastin, Nieuwenhuysstraat 29,
6336 XV  Aalbeek, Limburg, The Netherlands.
Tel +31 (0)45 5231475, www.bastin.nl
Open Wednesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm.

Pruning wisteria can be daunting prospect but it’s not as tricky as you might think. Pruning is essential for wisteria, not only to keep the plant’s growth in check but also to keep it flowering abundantly.

Wisteria is a vigorous plant that will produce lots of long, whippy shoots, which, if left uncontrolled, can dislodge roof tiles, clog gutters and creep into attics. Even worse, they won’t produce any flowers.

If you follow a strict regime for wisteria pruning twice a year, you will be rewarded with showy pendant racemes of fragrant flowers.

Read our in-depth guide to growing wisteria, including 20 stunning varieties to grow.

Jump to

• How to prune wisteria
• When to prune wisteria
• Pruning wisteria in summer
• Pruning wisteria in winter
• How to prune overgrown wisteria

Pruning wisteria

When to prune wisteria

Wisteria needs to be pruned twice a year, in winter (January or February) and summer (July or August). Pruning in winter keeps it tidy for the season ahead and means that the flowers will not be hidden by the leaves. Pruning wisteria in summer controls the plant’s size and ensures that it will produce plenty of flower buds.

How to prune wisteria

Pruning wisteria in summer

• Tie in any stems that are needed to fill in gaps against the wall, or to extend the plant over a pergola.
• Cut back all the rest of the stems to about 30cm from the point from which they have grown. This lets the sun into the plant to ripen the young stems – important for future flower-bud production.

Pruning wisteria in winter

• The following January or February, shorten the stems that you pruned in the summer to about 5cm from the old wood. Doing this will create short, stumpy shoots known as spurs.

How to prune overgrown wisteria

February is also the best time to prune an overgrown wisteria. You can remove branches that are growing away from the wall or over a window or remove old, woody branches from mature plants. Saw these off just above a young, vigorous branch or shoot. If the branch is very long, remove it in sections. Aim for a framework of well spaced branches; you may need to train in new growth during the summer to fill in any gaps.

Daphnes are flowering shrubs that are much loved for their pretty clusters of flowers, beautiful scent and attractive foliage.

Many daphnes flower in winter, when their strong scent and (usually) evergreen foliage are particularly welcome. Not all daphnes are winter flowering, however – some flower in spring and summer, too.

As daphnes rarely grow very large, they’re perfect shrubs for a small garden. They are woodland plants, so do best in dappled shade; if you can, plant them near a door, path or seating area where their scent can be appreciated. Daphnes can take a while to establish.

You may also like

• Expert’s choice: shrubs with colourful winter stems
• Plants for birds: trees and shrubs to feed birds
• Hebe: how to grow, when to prune and which to plant

Here’s more on evergreen shrubs

How to grow daphne

Where to plant daphne shrubs

Daphnes can prove difficult to grow in some situations. Although hardy, they dislike exposed sites and are happiest with shelter from cold, drying winds. They need enough direct light to flower well, but hate hot, sunny conditions. Most are happier on neutral to alkaline soils. Some experts recommend Daphne bholua for acid soils but in reality it seems to thrive on fertile soil over chalk. The ideal is a loam-rich soil with good drainage, but sufficient moisture.

Most daphnes resent being grown in containers; this is also an issue for nurseries when attempting to produce plants for sale. If attempting to grow in a pot, choose a loam-based compost and a large container with good drainage. However, the open ground is always preferable.

Daphnes resent being disturbed, so get the planting position right from the outset. Unlike other shrubs daphnes do not produce a dense, fibrous root system that holds together when they are lifted. Therefore, once out of the pot get them straight into the ground and then leave them alone.

When to plant daphne shrubs

The best time to plant a daphne is early spring, to give its roots plenty of time to establish during the growing season.

How to prune daphne shrubs 

Pruning a daphne is only necessary to control shape and size, or to remove dead or damaged wood. Prune cautiously, immediately after flowering, but only if absolutely necessary. Hard pruning of some, notably Daphne bholua, can result in the production of suckers.

How to propagate daphnes

Most daphnes are tricky to propagate, but semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer have a chance of success. Rather surprisingly Daphne odora is relatively easy to root from cuttings. It is advisable to root a few as replacement plants regularly.

Daphnes are not long-lived shrubs and often decline in vigour after ten years or so in the garden. This is often because of a virus in the plant, which manifests itself by leaf loss and stunted growth. When this happens the infected plant should be taken out and replaced.

Where to buy daphne shrubs

See below for Andy McIndoe’s choice of daphne to grow and where to buy them.

The best winter-flowering daphne shrubs to grow

An evergreen daphne cultivar with leathery, mid-green leaves that is strong growing once established. Large clusters of mauve-pink flowers cover the shrub for weeks from midwinter into early spring. The plant’s fragrance is powerful, sweet and delicious, even on cold days. This daphne was raised at Hillier Nurseries by propagator Alan Postill and named for his wife. Height 1.8m. AGM.

Buy Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ from Thompson & Morgan

A rare, deciduous daphne with upright stems and small, narrow green leaves. The starry, highly fragrant flowers cluster on stems in winter before the leaves appear, and are often followed by yellowish berries. This daphne needs chalk soil to thrive. Height 90cm.

Buy Daphne mezereum f. alba from Kevock Garden

A surprisingly robust form of Daphne odora with green leaves, boldly edged with creamy gold. A showy foliage plant, it has the bonus of fragrant winter flowers. A better garden plant than previous cultivars with a similar variegation. Height 1m.

Buy Daphne odora ‘Rebecca’ from Thompson & Morgan

A semi-evergreen shrub with tan-coloured stems and pointed mid-green leaves. Clusters of fragrant, pale-pink flowers, which fade to white, appear from early winter. The original daphne variety was raised at RHS Garden Wisley from seed collected in Darjeeling. Height 1.8m.

Buy Daphne bholua ‘Darjeeling’ from Burncoose

This variety blooms from midwinter and is heavily fragrant; the rich purple-pink flower edges merge into white faces. A good evergreen daphne shrub to grow close to the house in a sheltered position. Height 1.8m.

Buy Daphne bholua ‘Limpsfield’ from Pan-Global Plants

An evergreen or semi-evergreen daphne. In midwinter, clusters of deep, purple-pink buds open to paler blooms, which then become darker with age. This daphne variety was selected at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s Wakehurst site from seed collected by Sir Peter Smithers in Nepal. Height 1.8m.

Buy Daphne bholua ‘Peter Smithers’ from Pan-Global Plants

Spring and summer flowering daphnes

A small, deciduous and rare daphne shrub which blooms from late spring well into summer and sometimes into autumn. The clusters of white daphne flowers are fragrant and often followed by yellow fruits. This daphne variety is best grown in dappled shade on moist, acid soil. Height 1.2m.

A small, spreading, evergreen shrub that is happiest under the light shade of trees and tolerant of heavy clay soils. Glossy green leaves show off the large clusters of fragrant, yellow-green flowers that are produced freely all over this daphne in late spring. Height 60cm.

Buy Daphne pontica from Ashwood Nurseries

A rounded, bushy daphne shrub with narrow, blue-green leaves that are finely edged with creamy yellow. Clusters of fragrant, pink flowers appear from late spring through to midsummer. A good shrub for foliage interest. 60cm.

Buy Daphne x burkwoodii ‘Astrid’ from Jacksons Nurseries

Buy Daphne cneorum from Gardening Express

A daphne variety that’s bushy and upright in habit with glossy, evergreen leaves. This small shrub has particularly showy clusters of highly fragrant, purple-pink daphne flowers in mid-spring. Grows on alkaline or acid soil. Height 45cm. AGM.

Buy Daphne x rollsdorfii ‘Wilhelm Schacht’from Ashwood Nurseries

It is wonderful to grow roses in all their infinite forms and shapes but the natural-looking, single (as opposed to the more blowsy double) cultivars are a particular favourite.

All roses originally had a single-flowered parentage, and are found across the northern temperate and subtropical world. The pale-blush flowers of the native dog rose (Rosa canina), for example, which decorate the hedgerows in June, are simple yet exquisitely beautiful. They may be fleeting, but perhaps because of this we tend to appreciate their delicate beauty more sincerely.

A wonderful trait of single roses is the way they shed their petals, and in doing so, eliminate the need for deadheading. This is greatly appreciated with the taller climbing and rambling forms where the task is incredibly inconvenient, if not impossible. The petals may also change colour and give a pleasing, two-tone effect before shattering, as with Rosa ‘Francis E Lester’, whose petals fade to white with age. As with cherry blossom, so too the fallen petals from the floriferous, single ramblers eventually become petal confetti, concluding the flower display with a beautiful, thick carpet of white.

Single-flowered roses are more hospitable for bees and other pollinating insects than the double forms, where the nectar and pollen – if present at all – can be difficult for the insects to access. Having viable flowers also increases the likelihood of rosehip production, the fruits often having ornamental value of their own. Discover the best roses for hips. Having fewer petals per flower may also mean more flowers at a time and for a longer period.

Nowadays there is quite a large selection of single-flowered roses to choose from and they can be found across all sections of the genus Rosa. Indeed, some of the cultivars included here might be classified as semi- double by aficionados. However, the lines are fairly blurred and I have mentioned them because they look, to all intents and purposes, like singles.

Single roses: how to grow

In the right conditions, roses can be very long-lived plants, and can even become coveted heirlooms, passed from one generation of gardener to the next. When planting a new rose, it is important to remember that it needs a chance to find its feet. Plants will often take a few years to build up a good foundation of roots before they show signs of vigour above ground and begin producing quantities of new wood and flower.

When to plant single-flowered roses

Roses are normally bought and planted in winter, when they are dormant and bareroot, or at any time of the year as a container plant (although an early winter planting is best for all but the most tender types).

Where to plant single-flowered roses

It is much nicer to grow roses in a mixed border, rather than corralled into a bed with their own kind where diseases can spread like wildfire. Roses are often quite shapeless plants, and allowing them the support from a surrounding sea of herbaceous plants is much kinder. Most of the growth is concentrated on the upper part of the plant, leaving bare legs towards the base, but this can be disguised by planting roses with perennials, such as hardy geraniums or phlox. Rose roots tend to descend quickly and deeply and are not particularly spreading, making them ideal bedfellows for shallow-rooting perennials.

How to plant single-flowered roses

It is vital when planting to add compost to the planting hole and mix it properly with the surrounding soil. Make the hole ample enough to sensibly accommodate the roots without having to bend them to position the plant at proper depth. Firm the soil around the roots so the plant does not rock or sit too wet. During this formative period, it is important the rose is given space to breathe and is not swamped by neighbouring plants. Once established, the strong, forked rose roots are extremely competitive against those of other plants.

The best single roses to buy for your garden

Rosa ‘Dortmund’

Rosa ‘Dortmund’ produces large, red flowers with a conspicuous white eye in succession throughout the summer – they are so big it takes only a few to make an impression. It can be grown as a climber or shrub – at Malverleys we are growing it through a golden yew. Height: 3m. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘Geranium’

This Rosa moyesii hybrid is a large shrub with catchy, red flowers that have a central, green-eyed, gold stamen boss. Blooms appear in early summer on arching stems, followed by decorative, flask-shaped, orange-red hips. Remove old-flowered wood in late winter to maintain vigour. Height: 2.5m. AGM. RHS H6.

Rosa For Your Eyes Only (= ‘Cheweyesup’)

Derived from the unusual Rosa persica, which is a native of central Asia, this hybrid has proven to be a successful, easy-to-grow garden shrub. The striking flowers have a dark, central, claret blotch bleeding into the pink petals, and it will flower all summer. Height: 1.2m. RHS H6.

Rosa ‘Meg’

A charming climbing rose with large, flat, semi-double flowers in flamingo pink, each bloom with an apricot-yellow eye and conspicuous red stamens. Scented flowers in June are followed by large, fat, dark-ginger hips that persist all winter. Good for cutting, but prone to blackspot. Height: 3m. RHS H5.

Rosa ‘Francis E Lester’

A beautiful, climbing, hybrid musk rose that flowers in early summer. It produces large trusses of scented, overlapping, pale-pink flowers with showy yellow stamens. Flowers fade to white with age. It is good for cutting and makes small orange hips in winter. Height: 4-5m. AGM. RHS H6.

Rosa Summer Breeze (= ‘Korelasting’)

An easy-to-grow climber that throws hot-pink, medium-sized flowers all summer atop a foil of apple-green foliage. It can be trained against a wall or grown up through a small tree. Prune the oldest wood in late winter to encourage vigour. Height: 4m. RHS H6.

Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’

This hard-working China rose, if deadheaded, will flower from spring into late autumn (throughout winter in mild locations). It produces peach-yellow flowers from sharp-pink buds, ageing to a dirty pink. The colours intensify in hot weather. It will grow as a shrub but given help from another rose or sturdy climber (Virginia creeper, for example), it will ascend to lofty heights of four metres or more. Height: 2.5m+. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Rosa ‘Sally Holmes’

A large, free-flowering shrub that produces sumptuous panicles of blush-white flowers all summer. Deadheading will speed up repeat flowering and keep the display tidy. Generally trouble free, and with little scent – more a feast for the eyes than the nose. Height: 2m. AGM. RHS H6.

Rosa ‘Mrs Oakley Fisher’

A decades-old specimen at Great Dixter was given to Christopher Lloyd by Vita Sackville-West. It survived the cull when the former rose garden there was transformed into the Exotic Garden. It is a hybrid tea shrub rose, with dark foliage that sets off upturned, apricot flowers. Height: 1.5m. RHS H6.

Rosa ‘Helen Knight’

This pretty and vigorous Rosa ecae hybrid rose makes a substantial, prickly shrub with delicate, pinnate foliage. The gleaming, shyly scented, canary-yellow blooms are held in small clusters and are produced along with the new apple-green foliage. Height: 2.5m. RHS H6.

Rosa Kew Gardens (= ‘Ausfence’)

A well-behaved shrub rose that holds its flowers in small, neat clusters just proud of the foliage. Flowers open a clotted-cream colour, with a central fuzz of golden stamens, and fade to pure white. Will bloom all summer. Height: 1.2m. AGM. RHS H6.

Rosa Jacqueline du Pré (= ‘Harwanna’)

Named for the famous cellist, this shrub rose produces clear-white, semi-double, scented flowers on strong, prickly stems. At the centre of each bloom is a cluster of delicate-pink filaments and gold anthers that stand out against the white petals. Height: 1.5m. AGM. RHS H6.

Rosa The Compass Rose (= ‘Korwisco’)

This shrub rose makes an initial flush of white, wavy-petalled flowers in midsummer. The blooms have a rich, spicy scent and are held in loose trusses. If deadheaded, it will continue to flower intermittently into the autumn. Height: 1.2m. RHS H6.

Where to buy and see single roses

• David Austin Roses, Bowling Green Lane, Albrighton, Shropshire WV7 3HB. Tel 0800 111 4699, davidaustinroses.co.uk

• Peter Beales Roses, London Road, Attleborough, Norwich, Norfolk NR17 1AY. Tel 01953 454707, classicroses.co.uk

• Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3BU. Tel 0333 400 0033, thompson-morgan.com

• Dower House Garden, Morville Hall, nr Bridgnorth, Shropshire WV16 5NB. Tel 01746 714407, nationaltrust.org.uk

• Iford Manor, nr Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire BA15 2BA. Tel 01225 863146, ifordmanor.co.uk

• Malverleys Gardens, East End, Hampshire RG20 0AA. malverleys.co.uk. Open by on selected dates or by appointment for groups only. See website for details

• Polesden Lacey, Great Bookham, nr Dorking, Surrey RH5 6BD. Tel 01372 452048, nationaltrust.org.uk

• Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Biddenden Road, nr Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2AB. Tel 01580710700, nationaltrust.org.uk

Buddleias are popular and easy going shrubs that are a favourite with butterflies, hence their common name, the butterfly bush. They come in a range of colours, from white to magenta dark purple. Some are compact and can be grown in pots and containers.

To keep buddleias flowering well every year, they need to be pruned correctly. After cutting back all the stems you will be briefly left with an unattractive stump, but not cutting it back could result in a shrub that is 3m tall with a solitary flower at the tip and lots of unsightly, brown spent flowers from the previous year, similar to those found growing on railway embankments.

Pruning buddleia

When to prune buddleia

Most buddleias including Buddleja davidii and Buddleja x weyeriana should be pruned in spring, from late March to mid-April. Buddleja alternifolia is pruned in early to midsummer. Buddleja globosa does not need regular pruning but can be cut back in late winter to keep it in shape (bear in mind that this will affect flowering the following summer).

How to prune buddleia

Pruning Buddleja davidii

The stems of Buddleja davidii should be cut right down to the base.

• Cut just above the first shoot at the bottom of each stem, leaving a woody clump.

Even by the end of a single season the stems can be thick and woody, so you will need loppers or a pruning saw rather than a pair of secateurs.

Pruning Buddleia alternifolia

Buddleja alternifolia is pruned differently. It flowers on stems that have grown the previous year, so removing these stems in the spring would leave you with no flowers. As soon as its flowers have gone over in early to mid summer, follow down along the stem and cut just above a new shoot.

Read more on pruning: 

• How to sharpen garden tools and essential sharpening tools
• Best tools for pruning
• Best whetstones for sharpening garden tools

For several years now, our beloved box balls, hedges and topiary have faced a twin threat: box blight, and box tree caterpillar. Box blight is a fungal disease that causes brown leaves, straw-coloured bare patches and dieback, and box tree caterpillar can defoliate a plant in a matter of days.

More on 

Alternatives to box

Both problems can be kept under control by keeping a very close eye on your plants, by taking preventive measures and acting as soon as you see signs of attack. But in the case of box caterpillar especially, it can involve spraying with a biological control, Bacillus thuringiensis, several times a year (the caterpillars are active from March to October), which quickly becomes tiresome if you have a lot of box in your garden. And if an outbreak happens to coincide with your summer holiday, it may be too late to save your plants when you get back.

Watch a clip of RHS Wisley’s alternative hedging plants

Most garden designers now choose not to add box plants to new planting schemes, and while garden centres still sell box to the unsuspecting public, many gardeners would now avoid planting it. But what to plant as an alternative? Tolerant of close clipping, suited to both sunny spots and shade, and evergreen, box is hard to beat.

Until now, Ilex crenata (Japanese holly) was hailed by many as the best alternative. Slow growing and compact, it is particularly suited to shaping and cloud pruning. However, Matthew Pottage, who is overseeing a trial of clippable, small-leaved evergreen shrubs to box at RHS Garden Wisley, says: ‘Ilex crenata seemed to be the solution to everyone’s prayers. But in the Wisley climate (hot and dry in the summer, on sandy soil), it appeared to die slowly, going uncontrollably yellow across its foliage.”

Matthew says his preferred alternative is a conifer, Podocarpus. ‘For the purist wishing to replace the box-like, matt-green, small leaves with similar, the superb Podocarpus nivalis could well save the day. It isn’t too fast growing, is easy to propagate, and can regenerate from old wood. It can cope with full sun to part shade.”

More on

• Evergreen shrubs for sun, shade and how to prune them
• Evergreen trees for gardens: the best to grow

Matthew also rates colourful podocarp cultivars: Podocarpus ‘Chocolate Box’ flushes a magnificent bronze in autumn, while Podocarpus totara ‘Aureus’ flushes mustard-yellow in the colder months. Podocarpus is not yet widely available, with only a handful of suppliers, but it is easy to propagate from semi-ripe cuttings.

Matthew also urges gardeners to (ahem) think out of the box when choosing a box alternative, opting for plants that may be variegated, or with different colours or forms. ‘Perhaps the long-held snobbery around plants with coloured and variegated leaves will start to subside if their qualities for other garden uses come into play.”

Matthew has plenty of other recommendations for box alternatives too, including several yew cultivars, pittosporum, berberis and Corokia. Read about Matthew’s 13 recommendations for alternatives to box.

Evergreen trees are appealing for their year-round presence and value for screening, privacy and wind protection. In colder regions most evergreen trees are coniferous; their modified needle-like leaves make them resistant to extreme cold and strong winds. In warmer regions, which experience higher temperatures and periods of drought, evergreen leaves are tough and leathery to minimise water loss.

Don’t miss

• Trees for small gardens
• How to plant a tree
• Tree planting tools: everything you need for bare-root tree and shrub planting
• Evergreen shrubs for sun, shade and how to prune them

Some lend themselves to trimming and training. This can be used to restrict size and influence shape. Varieties of ilex, Magnolia grandiflora and photinia are increasingly used to train as pleached trees which give elevated screening around garden boundaries. Yew (Taxus baccata), evergreen oak (Quercus ilex), pittosporum, olive (Olea europaea) and bay (Laurus nobilis) can all be pruned to create more compact trees trees, formal or informal.

Some large evergreen shrubs are frequently grown as small, evergreen, multi-stem trees. This means there are several stems growing from ground level. These are stripped of their side branches leaving a head of foliage around 2m above ground level. Pittosporum and bay are frequently grown in this way. In smaller gardens they make excellent fast growing, but controllable small trees that soon give screening and privacy.

Jump to

• • What are evergreen trees?
  • When to plant evergreen trees
  • How to plant evergreen trees
  • When and how to prune evergreen trees
  • How big does an evergreen tree grow?
  • How far apart should evergreen trees be planted?
  • The ten best evergreen trees for your garden

Evergreen trees: everything you need to know

What are evergreen trees?

In temperate regions most trees are deciduous. They have a dormant period from sometime in autumn, when they lose their leaves, through to spring when new foliage unfurls. Their appearance changes with the seasons. Evergreen trees on the other hand retain their foliage throughout the year, or appear to. They do shed their older leaves as they grow, but the leaf loss is more gradual and usually occurs within the head of the tree as new growth is produced at the ends of the branches.

When to plant evergreen trees

Evergreen trees are always planted as either container grown plants or root-balls. Container grown plants can be planted at any time, root-balled trees, lifted from the field, are planted from mid-autumn through to early spring. This is the ideal time to plant all trees because the ground is moist and the weather cooler so trees can start to establish before new growth commences in spring.

How to plant evergreen trees

Good ground preparation to break up the soil and add organic soil conditioner before planting is essential. Always dig a hole larger than the rootball or pot the tree is grown in. Break up the ground at the base of the hole using a fork before positioning the plant in the hole. The rootball of field grown trees is usually wrapped in hessian and sometimes supported with wire. This should be left in place to avoid disturbing the roots. The tree will need staking and securing with a strong tie during its early years. Water thoroughly at time of planting and during the first season.

When and how to prune evergreen trees

Most evergreen trees will require little or no pruning unless their size and shape is being influenced. Pruning is best done before a new flush of growth; early spring is ideal. Larger, more mature trees are always best pruned by an experienced and qualified tree surgeon.

How big does an evergreen tree grow?

The ultimate height and spread of a tree depends on the species and the growing conditions. Some take many years to reach their ultimate height and this may be irrelevant to the gardener. The speed of growth and the impact of the tree in the required timescale is the most important consideration.

To give some idea: a small tree can attain a height of 5-10 metres in 20 years or so. That is up to the height of a two-storey house. A medium sized tree would be well over 10 metres in 20 years, but is unlikely to get larger than 20 metres. A large tree, Cedrus deodara for example, will just keep on growing for a couple of centuries in the right conditions, so it needs the space of a very large garden or park. Its ultimate proportions will not be enjoyed by the gardener that plants it.

Heights given here are estimated after 10 years in adequate growing conditions, assuming a tree 2m+ is planted in the first place.

How far apart should evergreen trees be planted?

Estimating the potential spread of a tree is never easy. There is always an inclination to plant too close in an attempt to achieve screening as quickly as possible. A good guide is 5m minimum between trees; that allows 2.5 metres each side of the centre of each tree. Most will achieve this easily within 10 years, often sooner.

Ten of the best evergreen trees for your garden

Arbutus unedo (5m x 5m)

A lovely small evergreen tree with dark green leathery leaves and cinnamon-coloured, shredding bark. Shrubby to start with it is usually grown as a multi-stem tree; the bark is revealed as the tree grows and the lower branches are removed. The pink-tinged white flowers resemble lily-of-the-valley and are carried in loose clusters in autumn, at the same time the round scarlet fruits from the previous year ripen. The fruits resemble strawberries, hence the common name, Strawberry tree.

Although ericaceous, arbutus will grow on chalk and succeeds on most well-drained soils. It dislikes cold winds and waterlogged soil and is at its best in milder locations. It thrives in sheltered coastal gardens and is a good choice for small urban gardens where it can be grown in a large container with loam-based compost.

Arbutus unedo ‘Atlantic’ is an excellent cultivar which flowers and fruits prolifically from an early age. Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’ has pink flowers. Arbutus unedo ‘Compacta’ is smaller and more compact and ideal for a container. Minimal pruning is required, except the removal of any dead or damaged growth.

Good for small urban gardens

Dislikes cold winds and waterlogged soil

Pruning? Minimal needed

Cedrus deodara (8m x 5m)

Perhaps the loveliest of the cedars with a softer appearance than most large conifers. The needles are tinged with blue initially, becoming dark green. The elegant branches are drooping with pendulous branchlets. Beautiful from an early age, this is the best cedar for a garden.

Ultimately a very large tree, which could reach 40m when mature, it needs plenty of space. It grows on any well-drained soil and needs an open position without competition from neighbouring trees.

Any pruning will spoil the shape of this tree so it must be given the space to develop naturally. Usually supplied as a field grown root-balled tree it needs careful and secure staking to avoid wind rock which can damage the roots and hinder development.
There are numerous cultivars of dwarf and more weeping form. Cedrus deodara ‘Aurea’ has soft yellow foliage and is smaller growing and slower to develop.

Needs space to develop

Pruning? no need

Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Azura’ (5m x 3m)

Eucalyptus are mostly fast growing and ultimately large evergreen trees. Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Azura’ is a hardier and more compact form and a better choice for the smaller garden. Mature plants develop striking silver-grey bark which peels to expose cream and green patches. The bright blue-grey round leaves of young plants evolve to lance-shaped blue green leaves as the tree matures. Fluffy white flowers appear in summer and autumn on older trees.

It is at its best grown on neutral to acid soil in an open sunny position. Although drought tolerant, very dry conditions can cause leaf drop and loss of branches. The growth habit is slender and airy and the overall appearance lighter than many evergreen trees. It is a good choice for urban gardens.

Eucalyptus regenerate well from pruning and the foliage is good for cutting. However hard pruning can result in a proliferation of shoots and very bushy growth, so caution is needed.

There are numerous species and cultivars. Eucalyptus ‘France Bleu’ is a much smaller variety reaching only 3m in height. It retains its delicate juvenile leaves and has light, airy growth. It is a good choice to grow as a multi-stem and in a container.

Sun/shade? Open sunny position

Avoid dry conditions

Pruning? Prune with care

Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ (7m x 4m)

Ilex aquifolium is one of only two broad leaved British native evergreens. (The other is common box, Buxus sempervirens). Because of its spiny evergreen foliage and the ability of some plants to produce shiny red berries in the depths of winter it has been attributed with magical powers since ancient times. It has therefore found a special place in cottage gardens for centuries.
Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ is female and reliably produces scarlet berries in the presence of a male pollinator. The dark green leaves are boldly edged with creamy white, often with a pink tinge when young. It is upright and open in habit when young, bushy and conical when mature.

It grows on any reasonably fertile soil in sun or partial shade, is extremely hardy and suitable for more exposed situations. Like all hollies it can be slow to grow in the first few years, so is a subject to plant for the long term, rather than for immediate effect.
Hollies respond well to light pruning in early spring to encourage branching and keep the plants in shape.

There are many cultivars. Ilex aquifolium ‘Elegantissima’ is similar, but male, therefore does not produce berries.

Good for berries in winter

Sun/shade? sun or partial shade

Laurus nobilis (8m x 6m)

The bay laurel is one of the most versatile evergreens widely grown in gardens. When allowed to grow naturally it forms a large, bushy shrub with several upright main stems and ascending branches. In gardens it is used for topiary, often as cones or standards grown in containers. It also makes an excellent evergreen tree if the lower branches are removed to expose the dark stems. The dark green pointed leaves are strongly aromatic. Small yellow flowers appear in the leaf axils in spring.

A native of the Mediterranean region it is surprisingly hardy and tolerates exposure, including coastal situations. It grows on any well drained soil in sun or partial shade. Growth rate is fast once established and the dense foliage makes it an excellent screening subject.

It can be pruned to influence shape and size, either selectively or with a hedge trimmer for a more formal, denser effect. This is best done in early spring before growth commences.

Laurus nobilis ‘Aurea’ is a form with golden foliage. The colour is at its best in winter and spring, fading as the year progresses.

Good for screening

Pruning? Prune for shape and size

Magnolia grandiflora (8m x 6m)

Commonly known as the Southern Magnolia, this has the most magnificent foliage of all evergreen trees. The large leathery leaves are glossy green above, felted russet beneath. The huge waxy blooms appear in summer at the tips of the shoots. Creamy white with waxy petals, their strong lemon fragrance is exceptional.

A native of the southern US it dislikes cold, wet conditions and needs a sheltered situation. A fertile soil with good drainage is required, preferably neutral or acidic, although alkaline conditions are tolerated. Avoid planting too deeply as this can result in failure.

Magnolia grandiflora can be pruned to shape and can be trained against a wall, or on a framework as a pleached tree. Prune only from mid-summer to early autumn. Winter pruning can lead to “bleeding” of sap and die-back of branches.

The species can take years to bloom, some of the named cultivars such as ‘Exmouth’, with olive green foliage, and ‘Goliath’ with dark green leaves are more reliable. Magnolia grandiflora ‘Victoria’ is regarded as the hardiest; it has dark foliage and a stocky, dense habit.

Good for flowers and fragrance

Doesn’t like cold, wet conditions

Don’t miss our guide on yellow magnolias for the garden

Olea europaea (4m x 3m)

The common olive is one of the oldest trees in cultivation. A Mediterranean native it has become widely grown in gardens where climate permits. In cooler regions it rarely produces fruit, but is prized for its silvery, slender leaves carried on pale grey stems and its architectural form. It is relatively slow growing and perfect for small gardens and courtyards.

Olives need good drainage and a sunny situation to succeed. They are perfect for mild, coastal sites and gravel gardens and are unfussy when it comes to soil type. Ideal for containers they are drought tolerant and survive with some neglect.

Olives can be pruned to control shape and size and this is often necessary to avoid straggly growth. They are pruned in late winter, as they would be for fruit production. The new growth which follows then produces tiny flowers followed by olives, given the right conditions.

Olives are long-lived trees and old specimens produce most attractive gnarled trunks.

Pruning? Prune in late winter

Pittosporum tenuifolium (6m x 4m)

© Getty

A New Zealand evergreen normally grown as a large, flame-shaped shrub, but also a most attractive multi-stemmed tree if the lower branches are removed. The small, bright green shining leaves are waved at the edges and are carried on wiry dark stems. Tiny dark purple flowers appear in late spring and early summer. These can go unnoticed, but their rich honey-fragrance is unmissable in the evening.

Pittosporum tenuifolium grows on any well-drained soil. It is a good subject for coastal gardens and milder areas. It needs full sun or partial shade and ideally some shelter. Severe cold can cause leaf drop and damage.

The foliage is good for cutting and this tree responds well to pruning which is best done either in spring before growth commences or straight after flowering. Either prune selectively to maintain the loose, natural habit or trim for a more structural effect.

There are numerous cultivars, many of which are bushy shrubs rather than trees. Of the variegated forms the pale green and white

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Garnettii’ is one of the best to grow as a tree.

Avoid severe cold

Sun/shade? full sun or partial shade

Quercus ilex (8m x 6m)

© Getty

Commonly known as holm oak or evergreen oak this is eventually a very large, broad tree with a massive rounded crown, although often slow to grow at first. The tough, oval, dark green leaves have a dull shine above, but are often whitish beneath. The new leaves have the same whitish bloom. Short, pale yellow spring catkins give rise to green acorns. The bark is grey when young becoming charcoal grey and fissured as the tree matures. A long lived tree it could reach 20m when mature, so needs plenty of space if allowed to grow unchecked in ideal conditions.

Holm oak grows on any well drained soil and is drought tolerant, although summer leaf drop can be heavy in prolonged drought. It prefers full sun, but tolerates semi-shade and an exposed situation. Wind resistant it is good by the coast.

Although not essential it responds well to pruning and shaping which is useful in smaller gardens. When grown as a shrub it can be used for hedging and makes an excellent screening plant.

Needs plenty of space

Sun/shade? Prefers full sun but tolerates semi-shade

Taxus baccata (8m x 6m)

The common yew is a British native coniferous tree. The foliage is dark green, the habit bushy; the bark reddish brown and flaking in places. Female plants produce red berries that follow insignificant spring flowers. It can live until a great age: a yew tree is not regarded as ancient until over 900 years old.

Widely used as a structural element in gardens in the form of hedges and topiary it is often overlooked as an excellent evergreen tree. This could be due to its association with churchyards, an ancient custom that originated with the Druids.

Yew grows on any well-drained soil in sun or shade. It survives in exposed situations and on very thin, shallow soils. No pruning is essential, however it does respond well to trimming and shaping, hence its use as a hedging plant.

There are many selections and cultivars. Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ forms a dense, upright column made of several upright stems from ground level. It can be used as an alternative to the Italian cypress.

Sun/shade? both

Pruning? Not essential

Don’t miss our piece on alternatives to box hedging

Box blight began ravaging the box hedges at RHS Garden Wisley from around 2006, and we began to tackle it through careful pruning, with some spraying. It felt arduous, and the results were not always satisfactory. It felt wrong and too shocking to strip the garden of its small hedges, so we limped on.

Jump to

• Best alternatives to box

Then, the box tree moth arrived in noticeable numbers in the garden from around 2014, and the speed of defoliation from the feeding caterpillars was astounding. At the RHS, we were inundated with members asking what they could do to save their box. We found ourselves at a crossroads.

It was evident there was no panacea that we could rush out and buy, and it seemed we needed more sensible alternatives to spraying or picking off caterpillars. The much-discussed Ilex crenata seemed to be the solution to everyone’s gardening prayers. But in the Wisley climate (hot and dry in the summer, on sandy soil) it appeared to die slowly, going uncontrollably
yellow across its foliage.

I felt we needed to start looking at the ‘clippability’ of other small-leaved evergreen shrubs and conifers. Box had always taken close clipping, seemingly completely tolerant to it. What else could manage such treatment? The Wisley team came up with a wonderful design to carry out an informal trial in the Walled Garden East, where small hedges, pyramids and taller hedges could be made up of different genera and cultivars, with the understanding that as time progressed, we would start to see results that we could share with members and visitors.

The two main considerations that have become very important are the plants’ ability to cope with close clipping and their levels of vigour. Those wanting a crisp finish, for example, will find a plant needing three clips a year tiresome.

Some early inclusions have been edited out: the wonderful Ugni molinae ‘Butterball’ was too tender for the cold frost pocket that is Wisley, and some of the small-leaved ceanothus couldn’t cope with the level of clipping forced upon them. Other shrubs simply had too much stamina, the most unsuited being Elaeagnus x submacrophylla ‘Compacta’, which managed to throw out extension shoots some 30-60cm high just a fortnight after clipping.

Of course, a range of alternatives brings about different colours, textures and forms. A fascinating debate then ensues – is it really a box alternative if it doesn’t look the same as box? But in a gloomy, north-facing garden, surely trading dull, green box for something with a white, variegated leaf is positive? I’ve seen spheres of the white-speckled Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Irene Paterson’ used to great effect in a small London garden with an emphasis on blues and silvers. Perhaps the long-held snobbery around plants with coloured and variegated leaves will start to subside if their qualities for other garden uses come into play.

If you are wondering whether Wisley is now bare of box, we have one survivor, and that is Buxus sempervirens ‘Bowles’s Blue’; its larger, slightly puckered, tough, glaucous leaves appear to be making a last stand against both the blight and the caterpillar. It doesn’t clip to a tight hedge, but it is the only box hedge we now showcase.

Watch a clip of Matthew’s hedging choices at RHS Wisley

The best alternatives to box

Many of these alternatives to box will be familiar, and few require special or unusual treatment. The greatest challenge is finding plants in sufficient quantity. It is fair to say that evergreen shrubs have been out of fashion for some years, and many retailers do not hold large stocks of small-leaved podocarps, for example. Thankfully, many of them, such as Corokia, Pittosporum, Podocarpus and Taxus, are easy to multiply at home by semi-ripe cuttings.

Planting guidance is the same as for any standard shrub or tree: plant in autumn when the ground is warm, with some moisture, and keep plants watered during dry periods for the first two summers. Start clipping in late summer as soon as the plants have reached the desired size and shape, with up to two or three clips depending on the quality of the soil, which is the determining factor for the rate at which many shrubs grow. Pinching out the growing points encourages plants to branch and creates better hedges or topiary shapes.

Read our expert advice on growing evergreen shrubs.

Podocarpus nivalis

For the purist wishing to replace the box-like, matt-green, small leaves with something similar, the superb Podocarpus nivalis could well save the day. It isn’t too fast growing, is easy to propagate, and can regenerate from old wood. It can also cope with full sun to part shade. It is a versatile and reliable conifer that has similar red fruits to yew. It can be readily grown from semi-ripe cuttings, and its plain green foliage is a great foil for other plants. Only requires one clip a year to maintain a tight appearance. 2.5m x 2.5m. RHS H5.

Podocarpus ‘Chocolate Box’

As a fan of coloured foliage, I also enjoy some of the podocarp cultivars, such as Podocarpus ‘Chocolate Box’, which flushes a magnificent bronze in autumn. It is similar to Podocarpus nivalis except the foliage is a darker green in summer, flushing a deep chocolate bronze during the colder months. Requires one clip a year to maintain a tight appearance. 2.5m x 2.5m.

Podocarpus totara ‘Aureus’

Similar to Podocarpus nivalis but with larger leaves and a more open habit that becomes denser with repeat clipping. Flushes mustard-yellow in the colder months. Requires one clip a year to maintain a tight appearance. 12m x 4m. RHS H5.

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Oliver Twist’

One of the best cultivars for small foliage, Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Oliver Twist’ has a delicate, yellow variegation to the leaf that is less obvious in the fresh new growth. The slender, black stems are easy to clip. Requires three clips each summer on fertile soil to maintain a tight appearance. 4m x 2.5m. RHS H4.

Berberis x stenophylla ‘Corallina Compacta’

An evergreen berberis with a flash of short-lived, orange flowers in early summer. The stems and foliage are slightly spiny, but it only needs one clip in summer to keep a tight appearance. 50cm x 50cm. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Rhododendron Bloombux (= ‘Microhirs3’)

A relative newcomer, with attractive, dark-green foliage and pale-pink flowers in early summer. Requires two clips in summer on fertile soil to maintain a tight appearance. I imagined the Wisley conditions would be far too hot and dry for it, but it has gone on to triumph.1m x 1m. RHS H5.

Taxus baccata ‘Repandens’

An old cultivar, sometimes seen in old rock gardens where plants are wider than tall. Tolerant of both sun and shade. It is usefully not too vigorous but takes a few years to fully ‘fill out’ given its slow-growing nature. Only requires one clip a year to maintain a tight appearance the ‘old school’ yew cultivar Taxus baccata ‘Repandens’ is less vigorous and tends to grow more prostrate, and takes to close clipping on a small scale beautifully well. Given that we had confidence it would be reliable, we used it to hedge the entire display. 50cm x 4m. AGM. RHS H7.

Taxus baccata ‘Renke’s Kleiner Grüner’

A new introduction from a chance seedling, this dense, feathery, dwarf yew is a good stand-in for box. The tips of the new growth have a coppery tone. Needs one clip a year to maintain a tight appearance. 2.5m x 2.5m.

Corokia x virgata ‘Silver Ghost’

A cultivar that’s a personal favourite, with dense, tangled, almost zig-zag like, black stems with silvery-grey leaves. Best in full sun and tolerant of maritime exposure. Requires two clips a year to maintain a tight appearance. 2m x 1m.

Ligustrum sinense ‘Sunshine’

For a splash of warm orangey-gold, this Chinese privet has a small, delicate leaf, evergreen in all but the coldest of winters. Requires two clips a year to maintain a tight appearance. 1.5m x 1.5m. RHS H5.

Cotoneaster conspicuus ‘Decorus’

Can easily be cut back into old wood where it will duly regenerate. White flowers attract pollinators in spring; red fruits follow in autumn. Requires two clips a year to maintain a tight appearance. 2.5m x 4m. AGM. RHS H6.

Phillyrea latifolia ‘Les Barres’

Phillyrea make wonderful, versatile garden plants and this cultivar has attractive, rounded, deep-green, glossy leaves. Best grown in full sun with good drainage. Requires two clips a year to maintain a tight appearance. 8m x 8m.

Corokia x virgata ‘Frosted Chocolate’

A beautiful cultivar, with frosty-looking, bronze leaves that are at their best in cold weather. Small, yellow flowers in early summer can be followed by small, orange berries. Needs two clips each summer on fertile soil to maintain a tight appearance. 1.5m x 1.5m. RHS H4.

Evergreen shrubs are the backbone of the garden. They provide essential structure and are the foundation of any permanent planting scheme. They are often used to create hedges; some are used to trim and train into topiary shapes. Perhaps most importantly the larger evergreens are used for screening, providing privacy and hiding horrors. In beds and borders they add enduring foliage interest, form and texture at all levels in the planting.

Some evergreen shrubs have conspicuous flowers and are among the best flowering shrubs. Others are grown mainly for their foliage and form. All of those mentioned here are easy to grow on most soils and need relatively little attention.

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• The best large evergreen shrubs
• The best small evergreen shrubs
• When to prune evergreen shrubs
• When to plant evergreen shrubs
• How far apart to plant evergreen shrubs
• How to take cuttings of evergreen shrubs
• When to move evergreen shrubs
• How and when to feed evergreen shrubs

How to grow, prune and care for evergreen shrubs

When to prune evergreen shrubs

Pruning shrubs is only really necessary to control the size and shape of an evergreen shrub. Although some will respond well to trimming with shears or a hedge trimmer, this does result in dense growth on the outside of the shrub and eventually a hollow centre. To preserve the natural habit use secateurs. Cut the longest shoots back into the shrub to encourage new growth from within. This is the ideal way to tackle choisya, escallonia, pittosporum and viburnum. If possible prune after the flowers and before a flush of new growth; usually mid to late spring.

When to plant evergreen shrubs

Plant evergreen shrubs as container grown plants at any time of the year, however they are easier to establish when planted in autumn or early spring when rainfall is more plentiful. Patient gardeners will get good results when planting a shrub grown in a 3 litre or 5 litre pot. These are cheaper than more mature specimens grown in 10 litre pots, or larger. These will give a more instant impact, but in the long run the results are the same.

How far apart to plant evergreen shrubs

The ultimate size of a shrub depends on the growing conditions. Most of us make the mistake of planting shrubs too close together in an attempt to achieve an instant impact.

How to take cuttings of evergreen shrubs

Some gardeners may wish to propagate and make more of their existing evergreen shrubs. Many, including hebes, escallonias, choisyas and euonymus can be successfully propagated from cuttings taken during the summer months. These are known as semi-ripe cuttings – when the stem is still flexible, but not soft and not too hard and brittle. Small cuttings around 6-7cm long are best, without flower buds. Strip off the lower leaves and inset the bottom third of the shoot into a pot of seed and cutting compost and cover with a polythene bag to prevent drying out.

When to move evergreen shrubs

Sometimes moving an established plant is desirable. The best time is between mid-autumn and early spring before new growth commences. To minimise the disturbance and keep the root ball intact, cut around the plant with a sharp spade at least 30cm away from the main stem. Then carefully lift the plant and replant in the desired location. If possible, reduce the top of the plant by pruning to keep the stems and leaves in balance with the remaining roots. Keep well-watered until established. It is rarely worth the effort of moving an old overgrown evergreen, it is better to start again with a new plant.

How and when to feed evergreen shrubs

None of the shrubs mentioned here have particular soil or feeding requirements, but all will benefit from an annual application of a slow release general fertiliser at the beginning of the growing season. This is true of both newly planted shrubs and those that have been growing on the same spot for a few years where soil can become tired and impoverished.

Here are a few of the best evergreen shrubs that work well in most gardens. Sizes given are approximate in five to ten years from planting.

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• The best large evergreen shrubs
• The best small evergreen shrubs

The best evergreen shrubs for your garden

Large evergreen shrubs

Abelia grandiflora (2.4m x 2.4m)

A light, airy evergreen with arching stems which gradually form a substantial, mounded shrub. The neat, shining, dark green leaves are the perfect background for the pale-pink, bell shaped flowers, carried at the ends of the shoots from mid-summer through to autumn. The blooms are fragrant and have copper-pink calyces which remain after the flowers have faded, often into early winter.

Although slow at first, abelia grows quickly once established. It likes well-drained soil and is chalk and drought tolerant. Flowering most prolifically in a sunny position, it will thrive in shade and is a useful contrast to heavier evergreens under the light shade of trees. Pruning is only necessary to control size and spread. Cut back long shoots in early spring to encourage new growth from the base. There are numerous dwarf and variegated varieties. These are a better choice where space is limited.

Sun/shade? Good for sunny positions and will thrive in shade

Pruning? Only to control size

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Elaeagnus x ebbingei ‘Compacta’ (2.4 x 2m)

A compact form of the silverberry with the same dark green leaves, silver on the undersides. Elaeagnus x ebbingei has a rather sprawling habit as it matures; ‘Compacta’ retains a denser, more upright habit. It may not be the showiest of shrubs, but it is one of the most versatile. It makes an excellent hedge, screen or backdrop to a border. It grows in full sun or semi-shade and is very drought and wind tolerant. An excellent choice for coastal gardens it is often used to shelter more vulnerable subjects.

Perhaps its greatest attribute are the insignificant tiny cream flowers produced in autumn. They would go un-noticed but their perfume is strong, sweet and delicious on the cool air. Quick to establish it soon makes an impact and requires little attention, apart from pruning as required to control shape and size. This can be done at any time.

Sun/shade? Full sun or semi-shade

Good for coastal gardens

Osmanthus x burkwoodii (3m x 2m)

Osmanthus x burkwoodii can make a very substantial shrub, or even a small tree if lower branches are removed later in life. However, it is usually used at the back of a bed or border to provide dark, evergreen structure with the benefit of small, white fragrant flowers in late spring. As a young plant the straight, light brown shoots carry small, leathery yew-green leaves, it becomes more branched and twiggy as it matures. It can be trimmed, shaped and used as an attractive hedging subject, however it is at its best allowed to grow naturally into a large, loose shrub.

A shrub that is very hardy and one that grows any soil that is reasonably well drained. It will grow in sun or shade, but is not at its best in deep shade. The dark green foliage and bold form are a good contrast to light, variegated shrubs such as pittosporum and rhamnus. Prune at any time, but ideally after flowering in late spring.

Sun/shade? Sun or shade but not deep shade

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’ (1.8m x 1.5m)

The cultivars of Pittosporum tenuifolium have become some of the most widely used and valuable shrubs in our gardens. Their small shining leaves and finely branched structure mix well with deciduous shrubs and other evergreens. Hailing from New Zealand and once regarded as tender, they seem to thrive in all but the coldest regions and are a good choice for coastal gardens. They need well drained soil and are best in an open, sunny situation.

Variegated pittosporums add year round colour, interest and structure in the garden. However most become large, flame-shaped shrubs that are useful for screening where space permits. Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’ is more compact and retains its dense, tidy habit. The small sage green leaves are waved and boldly edged with cream. It forms a broad, rounded cone and is excellent in a pot as well as in beds and borders. It can be trimmed or pruned with secateurs to control shape a size, or allowed to grow naturally.

Other pittosporums: Cultivars such as ‘Golf Ball’ and ‘Tom Thumb’ remain compact, dwarf and rounded in habit. They are often clipped and used as an alternative to box. The species can be allowed to grow and form a substantial evergreen tree.

Sun/shade? An open, sunny situation

Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ (1.5 x 1.2m)

Viburnum tinus, traditionally known as laurustinus, is one of the most reliable flowering evergreens. ‘Eve Price’ is a free flowering cultivar, more compact and manageable than the species it has become an enduringly popular choice. Dark green foliage and dense growth are the perfect setting for the flattened clusters of pink buds which open into tiny white blooms. Buds appear as early as late summer and have a conspicuous presence from mid-autumn. The flowers start to open in early winter and can continue until mid-spring, or even later. Perhaps the longest flowering period of all shrubs? Although the fragrance of the flowers is not pleasant the winter blooms are a valuable source of nectar and pollen for insects that venture out in the cold. The flowers are often followed by small, elliptic blue-black fruits.

Growing on any soil in sun or shade it is particularly happy on chalk. Pruning is only necessary to control shape and size and is best done after immediately after flowering.

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Sun/shade? Good for sun or shade

Likes chalk soil

Small evergreen shrubs

Choisya x dewitteana White Dazzler (90cm x 90cm)

A compact cultivar of Mexican orange blossom, perfect for the smaller garden or the front of a bed or border. Neat dark green leaves divided into finger-like leaflets are carried on well-branched stems on a dense, rounded shrub. Pleasingly fragrant white flowers are abundantly produced in spring and again in late summer or autumn and randomly at other times.

It grows in sun or shade on most soils but dislikes heavy wet conditions and severe cold. It seems to be at its best on chalk soils and in semi-shade. Little or no pruning is required apart from occasional shortening of any long shoots to keep it in shape.

A really useful anchor in any green and white planting scheme, it is a good subject to repeat and adds a floral element amidst green and white variegated foliage shrubs.

Sun/shade? Sun or shade

Dislikes heavy wet conditions and cold

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Rocket’ (1.2m x 60cm)

A striking evergreen with vertical stems forming a dense column of rounded, shining, emerald green foliage. The leaves are regularly arranged on the stems resulting in a bold, architectural appearance. This is a tough, drought tolerant shrub, perfect for narrow borders, pots and containers, ornamental hedges and to add vertical interest in any planting scheme. Plant as single specimens or in small groups, but avoid overcrowding with other subjects which could detract from the effect. It grows in sun or shade and is tolerant of coastal conditions. Particularly successful on chalk it will grow on any well-drained soil.

No pruning is required apart from the removal of any dead or damaged growth and branches that grow out of line. This can be done at any time of the year.

The cultivar Euonymous japonicus ‘Green Spire’ is similar in appearance but grows more quickly and attains a greater size. It is the more popular choice for a narrow hedge.

Sun/shade? Sun or shade

Good for narrow borders, pots and containers

Escallonia laevis ‘Pink Elle’ (1.2m x 90cm)

Many escallonias suffer badly with leaf spot disease which robs them of vigour and detracts from their appearance. ‘Pink Elle’ is an exception. The relatively large rounded leaves are bright green and glossy and are carried on a well branched rounded shrub which mixes well with other shrubs, roses and perennials. It is healthy, trouble free and compact in habit. The large clusters of clear pink flowers appear in mid- summer and continue through to early autumn. They are attractive to bees and butterflies.

Escallonia ‘Pink Elle’ makes an excellent low hedge for an open, sunny position. It will grow on any well-drained soil and soon makes an impact, even if planted as a small specimen initially.

Only prune to shape as necessary; it looks best when allowed to achieve a loose, natural form.

Sun/shade? Open sunny position

Good for Butterflies and bees

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Hebe pinguifolia ‘Sutherlandii’ (90cm x 90cm)

One of the most useful low structure shrubs forming a dense round mound of tiny grey green leaves on straight, slender branches. Like other small-leaved hebes it is hardy and more heat and drought tolerant than its larger-leaved relatives. Small spikes of white flowers appear towards the tips of the shoots in summer. They are not prolific and are very secondary to the foliage but are very attractive to bees and butterflies.

Hebe ‘Sutherlandii’ grows on any well drained soil in full sun. It is a useful plant to mix with lavender, santolina, rosemary and other Mediterranean subjects. It is a good alternative to box and works well in the corners of beds and as a plant to repeat to hold a scheme together. It eventually gets larger than expected, so take that into account when planting.

No pruning is required. Old plants do tend to sprawl and lose shape. They can sometimes be rejuvenated by hard pruning, but replacement is usually the best solution.

Sun/shade? Full sun

Pruning don’t prune!

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!

Skimmia japonica ‘Kew Green’ (75 x 75cm)

Apple green, shining pointed leaves carried in rosettes on straight, regularly branched stems grow to form a low, rounded shrub. Conical clusters of pale green buds appear at the tips of the shoots in autumn remaining showy through the winter months. These open in spring into small creamy flowers with a strong lily-of-the-valley fragrance.

Unlike other skimmias, ‘Kew Green’ tolerates direct sun, although it is at its best in shade. It grows on any well-drained soil that is not too dry and is perhaps at its best under light deciduous trees or shaded courtyards. It requires no pruning, but is highly desirable to cut for floral decoration which often restricts its size.

The perfect companion to hellebores, pulmonarias and spring flowering bulbs it is also good with sarcococca, Christmas box which produces its fragrant flowers early in the New Year.

Sun/shade? Tolerates direct sunlight although best in shade

Good for lovely fragrance

Evergreen flowering shrub? Yes!