Do you have a small garden and looking forward to making evergreen? Find out a list of evergreen plants and effective gardening ideas that can help you create an Eden.
Gardens are not just gardens but places where you find serenity just like Eden. When it comes to your personal Eden, where you have a mini garden in the backyard for a small block in front of the porch; you want it to look the best and also all around the year. In order to get the best attractive values out of your green space, you would want to put maximum foliage and brightly blooming flowers. In order to help you out, here are lists of 10 evergreen shrubs and tips that help you create your personal Eden.
10 Evergreen Shrubs
- Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’
Daphne shrubs are best known for their beautiful bloom that comes with an amazing fragrance. The bloom of the flowers takes place in winter and in early spring when most plants don’t bloom. You can opt for any of the plain-leaved varieties which bloom in the gloomy winter. Or, you can also choose a variegated variety such as the Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’, which comes with glossy leaves with a yellow edge. This shrub can easily grow in borders and patio containers and requires moderate sunlight. The shrub goes pretty well with a little rocky landscape.
- Taxusbaccata
This shrub is considered to be the most useful variety of plant that is required for gardening. It comes with a low-maintenance structure that can be used for screening and clipping. You can trim it and give any shape to it. It is versatile and you can mostly see them in the palace gardens with different structures. It is an evergreen shrub that can give your garden an ample volume of green. Not just green but the male plants can produce yellow cones in spring and female plants can produce bright red berries which can add more colors to your garden. They are capable of tolerating dry soil and can be applied to all kinds of gardening landscapes and situations.
- Fatsia japonica
This is a strong and beautiful shrub that is perfect for architectural places and small corners. The plant can survive in shady areas as well as in coastal weather. Fatsias are hardy plants with large glossy leaves that look amazing and always fresh. The upright stems are rigid and come with a strong structure so the shrub-like is maintained. Keeping it in a large patio container can embrace the overall look of different spaces. This plant is also known as the castor oil plant which is low maintenance and high survival spirit. Robust, long-lasting, and beautiful, this plant is perfect for filling the gaps and creating vibrant corners. The shrub produces white flowers in summer which looks peacefully good.
- Lavender angustifolia ‘Arctic Snow’
Lavender is the queen of all shrubs and it has a captivating essence that is liked by most people. This gorgeous shrub is evergreen and comes with an amazing scent that can change the atmosphere of your whole garden. Other than its medical values, the plant is absolutely stunning with its silvery green foliage along with little flowers pink, purple, and lilac; the iconic colors for your summer wardrobe. The plants can easily grow in patio containers and can easily fit in small places in your garden. It also attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Since this plant comes from a Mediterranean origin, they are built with drought tolerance and can easily survive in sunny areas and sandy soils. You can also try the Lavender angustifolia ‘Arctic Snow’, also known as the English lavender which looks stunning when in full bloom.
- Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’
If you are looking for a tough shrub that can survive in all seasons and extreme situations, Aucuba is a good choice. This evergreen plant is one of the toughest shrubs that can easily live on unfertile soil, dry soil, pollution, full shade as well as coastal conditions. This survival of the fittest comes with another variety that has speckled yellow and it looks quite good even without a bloom. You can go for the Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ which is also popular with the name ‘Spotted Laurel’. The large and glossy leaves come with a leathery structure. If you keep a combination of male and female plants, they will bear red berries in autumn.
- Camellia ‘1001 Summer Nights’ Jasmine
It is a classic shrub that blooms in spring and comes from Asian origin. The deep green foliage is well contrasted by big and beautiful flowers in the spring. The color mainly varies from pink to red and looks very pretty in the season of full bloom. You can also find a lot of variety in sizes as there are small shrubs as well as large ones. There is a variety called Camellia ‘1001 Summer Nights’ Jasmine which can offer a spectacular bloom in months of summer like May and June. This flowering plant is bred in China and can handle all kinds of weather. It comes with a neat and compact structure which makes it a perfect fit for your garden. Put it up on a patio container and see the magic!
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Blonde Beauty’
If you are looking for a versatile plant that can survive in heavy clay soil, then Fortunei is the best option to go for. It comes with unique foliage and is capable of tolerating poor soil conditions, shade, and other situations. This evergreen plant is also trained to climb and can be found thriving on the wall facing north. They can also grow in containers which makes them quite versatile in nature. To get some beautiful foliage, go for the ‘Blonde Beauty’ that offers creamy yellow leaves with green edges. It is a compact shrub with a lot of volume and looks great with a patio.
- Mahoniaaquifolium ‘Apollo’
Mahonia is one of the most beautiful plants that offers a yellow and fragrant blooming season. The plant has an architectural shape and can offer bright yellow flowers in winter or spring. The clusters of yellow bunches can be seen at the tips of the branches. It offers a striking display and a sweet smell that can tantalize your heart. Mahoniaaquifolium ‘Apollo’ is a good variety to opt for that can handle harsh soil and is perfect for woodland gardens. It can grow pretty big and is good for shadows.
- Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’
Spring is a wonderful time when foliage can take place through a variety of colors and shades. Photinia is one of the toughest plants which is hard to beat. This shrub offers glossy green foliage which starts as crimson red when young buds. Therefore, the plant always offers a two-tone bi-color that looks visually compelling. This evergreen plant is perfect for the corners and borders. But you can also grow it in patio containers. ‘Red Robin’ is one of the most popular varieties which is purchased by most homeowners. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows perfectly in woodland areas.
- Holly Ilex aquifolium
Offering dense green cover along with bright red berries, Holly is one of the best additions to your garden. Spikey and hardy, this plant can survive in all climate situations. The berries grow in the festive season of Christmas which makes it a part of the celebration as well. Holly Ilex aquifolium is a great variety to go for that offers spring bloom. The shrub is suitable for all kinds of gardens.
It is not just about planting trees and shrubs but you also need to know how to maintain them and take good care of them. If you do not take care of your plant babies, they cannot thrive for too long on their own. Therefore, you need to follow some effective tips and practices that keep your garden healthy and alive. Plant care gets easier when you know what you are looking for.
10 Tips to Take Care of Your Garden
- Checking the Health of the Plants
It is highly important to check the health of your plants whether you’re transplanting plants from nurseries or growing your own from seeds. A full inspection of the garden is required in order to make sure the plants are rot-free and not suffering from any plant diseases. If you bring in infected and damaged plants, make sure to cure it first in a separate location or it can affect your whole garden and harm other plants. You should also look for insects like aphids, gnats, and whiteflies which need to be removed from the garden by applying pesticides and other extermination methods.
- The Right Amount of Watering
While every plant needs water, many plants in the garden often suffer from overwatering. It can cause leaf spots, rot, fungi growth, and many others. Therefore, it is highly important to know how much water is required for each plant variety in your garden and also the right frequency for it based on climate and soil conditions. After watering, you need to give the soil a healthy amount of gap so that it does not get oversaturated with water. Make sure to avoid watering the leaves and directly pour on soil which keeps the foliage healthy and bright. Try to water with hand rather than sprinklers. It helps to wet the soil better without wasting water.
- Treatment of Soil
Soil can degrade over time and so, it needs to be treated over time. You can buy new soil from a local garden center, so make sure to check the quality of your garden soil and replace it when necessary. The addition of mulch is also a good idea to retain moisture in the soil while maintaining its texture and structure. Mulching material will keep weeds down while also supplying organic matter to your soil when it begins to degrade. Your garden will also require occasional fertilizer to keep it fruitful. Be sure about the amount you apply before saturating your garden soil. Different plants have different optimal situations. So, make sure to focus on that.
- Keeping the Tools Perfect
Your garden tools are your greatest companions as well as the plant babies. Therefore, the tools need to be cleaned to control disease and prevent transferring any bacteria or dangerous elements into your garden. In addition to the other methods of garden care, clean tools can help keep your garden healthy longer. Make sure there are no chemical reactions or rust growing on the metal. Keep the garden tools dry, and away from moisture.
- Destroying Garden Killers
Weeds are considered to be garden killers. They can suffocate the roots of your healthy plants, harbor pests, and become an unsightly nuisance. Weeds take up space and resources that your plants could be using, so weeding your garden can keep it healthy and growing. It is highly important for your favorite plants to grow so don’t be sad about uprooting a few weed plants which can bring potential damage.
- Protecting Plants from Animals
Garden plants can be also affected by many animal activities which is why it is important to fence your garden. Make sure to set up a barrier around your garden bed, like a wire fence, to keep herbivores, critters, and other garden pests from destroying your plants. Wired fencing can help to keep your garden safe, while also making it visible to others. You need to make sure that your fencing is not blocking the direct sunlight which used to happen in classic fencing style.
- Plant Maintenance
There are a few activities that you need to perform for plant maintenance in your garden such as deadheading, pruning, and culling. Deadheading removes old flower blooms to encourage new growth. Pruning is cutting back the branches of your plants to control growth and make room for more. Culling your plants will clean up the unhealthy bits and also create more space for your garden to flourish. These are some of the most effective gardening methods that help to promote growth, clear out hidden pests or undesirable parts, and offer more room.
- Staking the Plants
Staking involves fixing sticks into the ground and tying your flower stems or other garden crops to them with cloth or thread. It is one of the innovative ways to stake the plants like cucumber, pepper, or tomato plants which are soft and vine-like and do not have a strong stem. It helps to reinforce the stems and keeps them away from bending or breaking, keeping them upright and healthy. You can also use this idea to decorate your garden by staking the plants high enough and making a seating arrangement under it.
- Companion Plants
Yes, that is right! Plants also need companions. Companion planting, or intercropping, is when you plant a variety of different crops together to increase growth productivity, provide pollinators, ward off pests, and control the habitat for beneficial insects. Intercropping is a great way to keep your garden and flower beds thriving by surrounding them with the right plants that will enable their successful growth.
- Importance of Raised Beds
You might not know that raising beds can help to increase the longevity of your plants significantly. Raised beds are great if you want to start small, or plant a variety of sections. Raised beds come with a barrier, provide proper drainage, and can help keep your garden bed safe from pathway weeds and other menaces.
Now, that you are aware of all the effective tips along with a list of evergreen shrubs, you can embark on creating your own Eden that shines brightly throughout the whole year.
