Looking for a few of the best evergreen shrubs to plant and grow in your landscape this year? Evergreens are one of the easiest ways to keep color and texture in your landscape. And more importantly, color that will last all year round!
In the spring, summer and fall, bringing a bit of pizazz to your landscape is easy. All it takes is a few annuals, hanging baskets, or flowering perennials to do the trick. But in the cold, grey days of winter, all of that beauty disappears – and it is exactly where evergreens can save the day.
Evergreens, unlike deciduous trees and shrubs, keep their foliage all year long. But planting a few here and there can be more advantageous than just adding a splash of color and texture. It also provides excellent cover, protection and even food for many birds and wildlife.
So with bringing a little four season life to your yard this year in mind – here is a look at six excellent choices for year round greenery – and even a little flower power to boot!
The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow For Year Round Interest!
#1 Rhododendrons
With their lush, evergreen foliage and vibrant seasonal blooms, rhododendrons (pictured at the top of the article) are one of the best choices of all for adding year-round interest to your landscape
The shrubs are well known for their stunning flowers, which come in shades of pink, purple, red, white, and yellow. The blooms typically appear in late spring to early summer, but long after the blooms fade, their large, glossy leaves still provide a lush, green backdrop anywhere they grow.
Rhododendrons thrive in partial shade and need well-draining, acidic soil for good growth and flowering. In nature, these bushes grow in and near wooded areas, so they will perform best when planted around taller trees or alongside other shade-loving plants.
When planting, be sure to dig a wider hole. Rhododendrons roots grow shallow but out far and wide. That means loosening a large surface area around their roots will help them develop more easily. Always be sure to mulch year round as well to help retain moisture and protect the roots from extreme temperatures.
Rhododendrons are actually quite easy to maintain. Once established, they rarely need watering – and only need occasional light pruning to remove spent blooms or shape the plant. Affiliate Plant Link: Brighter Blooms White Rhododendron – Flowering Plant, 1 Gallon.
#2 Boxwoods – The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow
There are more than 350+ varieties of boxwoods to choose from, with foliage ranging in all sizes and shapes. Boxwoods are extremely easy to keep pruned, and are excellent choices for evergreen shrubs to use as hedges along walkways and fences.
Their leaves can range from waxy dark green, to variegated shades of light green and white. And do they ever hold their shape beautifully! In fact, it’s one of the reasons they are a top choice for topiary artists.
In the home landscape, they are an excellent selection for those looking for a low maintenance, easy care evergreen. They also happen to perform very well in pots too as long as they get a bit of protection from severe winters. See: How To Protect Potted Evergreens In The Winter
Boxwoods prefer a slightly acidic soil that is well draining. They can grow in full sun but prefer to be in partial sun/shade. If they get too much sunlight, they can suffer leaf scald. Affiliate Plant Link: Winter Green Korean Boxwood
#3 Holly – The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow
Holly bushes are loved for their glossy evergreen foliage, bright berries, and wide range of growing habits. Hollies are available in a variety of species and sizes, making them suitable for hedges, foundation plantings, or as a single focal point in a flowerbed.
The vibrant red berries of hollies that come on in the fall can really add a punch of color against the winter landscape. The berries also serve as a very valuable food source for birds during the colder months.
When planting hollies, if you want berries, it’s important to know that you must plant both male and female holly shrubs. Without that, they will be sterile for berry production.
Holly will grow best in full to partial sunlight, but it does need well draining soil. The plant will struggle to do well in overly hard or wet soils. When planting, it’s essential to space them properly to accommodate their mature size and ensure good air circulation.
Once established, holly shrubs are drought-tolerant and relatively resistant to pests, making them a low-maintenance addition to any garden. They also are great for planting if deer are around – as they do not like touching the sharp foliage.
#4 Wintercreeper – The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow
Wintercreeper is an excellent choice to add solid year-round color to the landscape. With its shapely mounds, it fits nicely into almost any setting. Many varieties have variegated leaf patterns to add additional interest. And in the winter, that foliage turns to a pinkish/reddish color to stand out even more.
Wintercreeper performs well in shady locations, and is hardy in zones 5 through 8. One of the traits that make it so attractive is that it can grow in conditions that range from partial shade all the way to full sun.
This shrub can grow fast. In fact, fast enough that in some locations it is considered invasive. With that in mind, it is best to check with your local extension agent before planting.
#5 Arborvitae – The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow
Tthe Arborvitae is an evergreen shrub that can fit almost any need. The shrubs have a conical or pyramid shape and can be found in sizes from just a foot tall to over 35 feet! They can make for an excellent hedge, as their foliage is thick and dense.
Even better, they are quick growers, and require little maintenance. Arborvitae holds their shape well, and require little pruning or shearing. They are hardy in zones 5 through 8 and will perform best when located in full sun. Affiliate Link : Spring Grove 1 Gal. Arborvitae
#6 Mountain Laurel – The 6 Best Evergreen Shrubs To Grow
Looking for an excellent evergreen shrub for the shadier locations of your yard? Mountain Laurel is the answer! Even better – not only do they perform well in heavily shaded areas, they can also be planted in mostly sunny locations too.
Mountain laurel plants will thrive in zones 5 through 9, and mature to about 6′ to 8′ high and wide. The dark green glossy foliage is beautiful the whole year round. Even better, its bark tends to become twisted and gnarled, adding an extra layer of visual interest.
If that wasn’t enough, Mountain Laurels also produce a gorgeous 1″ style cup flower in the early months of May and June that are simply stunning. It’s just one more evergreen shrub that can keep your yard more lively twelve months of the year.
Here is to planting a few evergreens into your landscape – and bringing a little life to it all four seasons!
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This Is My Garden is a garden website created by gardeners, for gardeners. Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books and speaking for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. They publish three articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along!