Evergreens - a complete list with descriptions and recommendations from a gardener

Evergreens are decorative all year round. First of all, these are conifers, which in summer effectively emphasize the beauty of the surrounding flowers, and in winter they solemnly turn green against the backdrop of white snow. But we decided to talk about deciduous trees, mainly of southern origin, which are also very popular in landscape design. We offer an overview of interesting types of evergreen plants for the garden with photos, names and brief descriptions, and ideas for creating compositions with their participation.

Experienced gardeners use topiaries to transform trees and shrubs into original topiaries

Evergreen perennials are represented by all life forms: trees, shrubs, subshrubs, shrubs, herbaceous plants.

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)

It is a small, attractive tree with bell-shaped flowers and beautiful red fruit in the fall. As it grows, it often forms a remarkable multi-stemmed structure. Grows easily in medium, acidic, moist and well-drained soils. It is practically not susceptible to diseases and pests, but it is necessary to monitor the appearance of aphids or spots on the leaves.

Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)

The tiny leaves look like scales and come in different shades of green on different varieties, including gray-green and blue-green.

The trees thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, as well as in hot, dry conditions. It grows at a moderate pace, adding from 30 to 60 cm per year and reaches a height of up to one and a half meters.

Cupressus arizonica requires a location that provides sufficient direct sunlight.

Can grow in acidic, neutral or alkaline soil. They tolerate clay, loam or sandy soils well, but they must be well drained. It will grow better if it is watered regularly, or better yet, irrigated.

Advantages of hedges

Green spaces as a fence are not inferior to, and in some aspects even surpass in functionality, fences made of brick, wood, stone, and blocks.

The disadvantage of this solution is the need for planting care, but among the suitable plants there are many unpretentious ones that require a minimum of attention.

The second disadvantage is the shorter service life of the fence, but there are long-lived crops, for example, yew can live more than 4,000 years.

More advantages:

1. A hedge made of bushes is suitable not only for marking the boundaries of a site, but also for dividing the internal territory into zones. It is not advisable to use fences for this purpose.
2. Green growth looks more picturesque than artificial fences.
3. A wall made of shrubs, permeable to air currents, is more suitable for protection from wind than a solid fence. No vortices are formed on its inner side and in the corners, and nearby plantings do not suffer from drafts.
4. If you plant bushes with a dense crown along the perimeter, the air in the area will become fresher than outside it.
5. Some plants emit pleasant aromas during flowering.
6. Shrubs absorb sound well, and planting them is easier than installing a noise-protection fence.

Yew (Taxus)

Yews are coniferous trees, so instead of flowers they produce cones (along with red berries). They are characterized by evergreen needles and a wide range of sizes and shapes, as well as a fairly rapid growth rate that slows down as the plant matures. It is best to plant them in spring or fall.

Soil type and PH – well-drained loam of medium moisture, neutral.

Spruce (Picea)

Spruce has about 35 species of the genus Picea. Typically tall and thin, conical or cylindrical in shape. They have dark green or blue-green needle-like foliage with cones that fall off after pollination.

They quickly grow to large sizes. Most spruce trees are easy to grow due to their tolerance to a wide range of growing conditions.

Easily adapt to various types of soil, including clay or sandy.

They tolerate drought well, but prefer evenly moist soil.

Spruce trees are preferable to grow in cooler climates. They can withstand warm summers, but cannot tolerate high humidity or extreme heat.

Deciduous trees

Some plants that grow quickly in the wild grow into huge trees. It is enough to plant them at short intervals and trim the shoots regularly to form a limited, dense hedge of various shapes. There are many trees used for decorative fencing, the most popular types are:

• hornbeam;
• beech.

Photo. Hornbeam hedge

Trees are more demanding to cultivate than deciduous shrubs, but they tolerate not particularly favorable conditions and are resistant to low temperatures. Thanks to them, there is a chance to create a fast-growing hedge in the garden, which looks extremely decorative in the fall, when the leaves turn yellow or red.

Photo. Beech hedge

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

This tall coniferous tree can reach a height of 120 cm to 90 meters, but there are smaller varieties available for the home landscape. As it grows, the Douglas fir takes on a pyramidal shape. ​

Douglas fir does not like hot and dry winds, but thrives in moist soil and humid climates. However, wherever you plant it, it should have full sun.

The ideal soil for this tree is acidic loam with drainage.

It is best not to trim a fir unless it needs to be trimmed from damaged, diseased or dead branches.

Evergreen shrubs enliven dull winter landscapes with their lush greenery. Some spring-blooming specimens produce colorful berries in the fall, making them attractive year-round.

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However, most of the evergreen shrubs featured here are prized for their resilient foliage and ability to bloom in cold climates, where the display of their winter greenery is most welcome.

What is an evergreen shrub?

It has the following features:

• less than 450 cm in height;
• several stems growing from the same point in the ground;
• responds well to pruning and care;
• has year-round foliage.

Trachycarpus

If you are a lover of exotic plants in the garden, then be sure to take a closer look at Trachycarpus. This is the only true palm tree that can take root in the conditions of central Russia.

In landscape design. Palm trees are quite a rare sight outside the southern regions, so they often look a little awkward. Nevertheless, you can find a place for such exotic things. Trachycarpus will best brighten up large areas of grass, and can also form some kind of composition. In any case, wherever you plant Trachycarpus, the most common question will be “What is this, a palm tree?”

Care. Trachycarpus is a plant that is quite resistant to cold and other adversities, which in most cases does not require special care. However, icy winds can destroy the palm tree. Therefore, in winter, Trachycarpus should definitely be protected from the wind. This plant does not require any other special care.

Leucothoe

It is a hardy and disease-resistant shrub that requires minimal special care.

The leaves have a leathery texture and their dark green color turns to shades of purple and bronze in the fall. Creamy white bell-shaped flowers add interest to this beautiful shrub, ideal for shady gardens.

The flowers are slightly fragrant, with a slight honey-like scent that attracts pollinators such as butterflies and bees, making this plant desirable and attractive in the garden landscape.

Overall, this evergreen has a pleasing array of seasonal garb, from young, bright green leaves in early spring to white flowers tinged with pink in late spring and early summer, to its autumn transition to deeper bronze and purple flowers.

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Prefers medium, slightly acidic and well-drained soil.

Dwarf forms

Thanks to their compactness, beauty of flowering, and aroma, low shrubs, subshrubs and shrubs have earned the well-deserved respect of professionals and flower growers who want to make their garden unusual, modern, and stylish.

Lavender angustifolia

The essential oil crop from the Lamiaceae family is grown on an industrial scale, as well as in gardens around the world. Lavender propagates well by seeds. In regions with a mild climate, winter sowing is practiced.

Flower growers in the middle zone stratify the seeds for two months before planting on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, and sow them for seedlings in February - March.

For lush flowering and maintenance of shape, annual pruning is carried out in the spring, shortening the shoots by a third

Ericaceae

Rock gardens and rocky gardens are often decorated with evergreen shrubs from the Heather family. If desired, you can create entire heather meadows from them, which will bloom from spring to autumn.

Common heather is available in a wide range of varieties (about 500), varying in height, foliage color and flower color.

Erica is a relative of heather, differing from it in the time of flowering, which begins in spring, and in its needle-shaped leaves. Heather blooms in late summer–autumn and has more scaly leaves.

White, pink, burgundy, blue, purple Erica “bells” retain their decorative effect for a long time after flowering

The lower tier of flower beds and alpine hills are a great place for common podbela . Its second name is andromeda. The plant is poisonous, so you need to work with it very carefully.

Pale pink, like porcelain jugs, drooping, white flowers are contrasted with dark bluish-green foliage

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

It is a wide, dense, spreading shrub that eventually reaches a height of up to 5 meters and a spread of up to seven meters.

It has shiny, oblong, dark green leaves - up to 15 cm in length. The foliage is evergreen, without autumn color. Tiny cupped creamy white flowers in vertical clusters (inflorescences up to 13 cm long) bloom from the leaf axils in April-May. The flowers have a powerful aroma. They give way to somewhat inconspicuous black drupes that ripen in midsummer. This fruit is mostly inedible for humans (bitter aftertaste), but is loved by local birds.

Pest resistance is better than most other species of the genus Prunus. Vulnerable to powdery mildew and root rot.

Requirements for a hedge

The range of shrubs for vegetable fencing is large, but regardless of what practical and decorative problems it must solve, there are selection rules that are relevant for all cases:

1. Choose fast-growing shrubs - a full-fledged hedge will grow within 2-4 years.
2. It is desirable that the height of an adult plant coincides with the required height of the green wall. The fact is that some crops begin to wither when the top is removed.
3. Avoid bushes with massive leaves. It is more convenient to shape a crown with small foliage.
4. Plants must be resistant to frost and drought, diseases, and lack of nutrition. Then caring for the planting will be as simple as possible.

Well, density is important, one might say the main factor for the sake of which this whole hedge story is started.

Plants for hedges. Top 17 best shrubs.

Azalea

Is there a more welcome sight in spring than a blooming azalea bush? These shade-loving plants can bring delightful color to every corner of the spring garden. Many species can grow up to 350 cm in height, with extraordinary beauty in spring.

The color range is impressive - from white to pale pink, from red to purple. Most azaleas bloom in mid-spring, but some bloom earlier or later than others, so it's easy to choose a variety for your design needs.

Azaleas like acidic soil. This explains why seedling pots typically use peat moss as a planting medium. The soil should also have good drainage and good fertility with plenty of organic matter (compost, shredded leaves, etc.). Azaleas do best with natural mulch, such as pine bark mulch.

They need water to bloom and spring rains usually alleviate this problem. However, if the spring is dry, additional watering may be beneficial.

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The winter hardiness of azaleas varies and therefore it is very important to carefully select the plant variety and its planting location.

If it is too cold, the buds may not form, and if it is too hot, the flowers may burn from excessive temperature exposure.

Mold can be detrimental to azaleas and, to ensure adequate air circulation, do not plant them too close to other large shrubs.

General rules for planting shrubs

Before planting, choose a place for your intended composition. Focus on the agrotechnical requirements for each variety. Variegated varieties love sufficient sunlight.

Varieties with uniformly colored leaves are often shade-loving. A combination of several varieties of ornamental shrubs looks great.

Standard process for planting shrubs:

• Prepare the soil (dig up, remove stones and weeds, apply fertilizer).
• Make holes for seedlings.
• Plant prepared shrubs.

The distance between plants depends on the size of the future bush. Fill the remaining space with herbaceous perennials and bulbous crops.

Shrubs are usually planted along the fence, near outbuildings as hedges. In decorative flower beds, place in the center - if there is a view from all sides. Or in the background, if the composition is only visible from one side. Shrubs add volume and layering to decorative plantings.

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

An ornamental shrub that is attractive all year round. In late summer, reddish buds appear for next year's blooms. During the winter months, these beady buds contrast with the evergreen, glossy foliage.

Pieris japonica is an early blooming flower; it blooms for about two weeks in late winter - early spring. The white or pink flowers resemble lily of the valley flowers, but without the strong scent.

Warning—the leaves, flowers, and by-products (honey) of this shrub are highly toxic to humans and pets. Like rhododendron, it contains serotoxins, which if ingested can be fatal. For this reason, Pieris japonica is not recommended if children are playing in the yard or pets are wandering around.

These shrubs prefer shady places where they will be protected from drying winds, and like to take root in acidic soil.

Well-draining soil is preferred to prevent dangerous fungal infections, and this species is susceptible to the same diseases as azaleas.

Fungal diseases mainly spread in humid weather. Therefore, proper spacing between bushes is critical for good air circulation and plant health. Shrubs should be placed at a distance of about 180-210 cm from each other, taking into account their size in adulthood.

Pieris japonica prefers full sun rather than partial shade. In warmer climates, it should be planted in a location where it is protected from the hot afternoon sun.

The soil should be rich in organic matter and moist but well-drained; This shrub does not grow well in wet soils.

Pieris japonica is an acid-loving plant that does not tolerate alkaline soils. Before planting, you should check the soil pH and add a special fertilizer for azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons that contains sulfur to raise the pH level.

In the absence of rain, the shrub needs regular deep watering about once a week. It is necessary to moisten the soil to a depth of 8 cm.

A layer of pine needle mulch about 5-8 cm thick helps retain moisture in the soil.

They are not afraid of winter threats... Evergreen herbaceous plants in the garden

And the leaves of coniferous plants, which live on average from two to twenty years, may not necessarily be green, but of different shades of yellow and even red.

There are not so many evergreen plants suitable for growing in garden plots. In addition, not every one of them is decorative all year round. Southern evergreens do not tolerate our northern winters well - they die in severe frosts. Strong, gusty winds and other unfavorable conditions can also lead to their death. On some evergreen plants, the leaves do not look their best in winter, but still many such popular trees and shrubs enliven our winter gardens with their colors, change their appearance, standing out brightly against the background of bare deciduous trees.

Some plants, such as St. John's wort and viburnum, are grown for their showy flowers. Others create a decorative effect with both their foliage and inflorescences, such as rhododendrons and bergenia. Among the evergreens, there are also plants that are grown exclusively for their cold-resistant leaves.

For any climatic conditions, for any garden there are suitable evergreen crops, varied in size, color and crown shape.

This article is devoted to those evergreen plants that are suitable for growing in small garden plots in the Leningrad region.

Low shrubs, semi-shrubs and ground cover plants play an important role in garden design: they grow quickly, covering empty areas of land with a green carpet.

Tall plants, mainly conifers, are widely used to create hedges. Low conifers are planted in flower beds and in various borders. Evergreens are also often planted in lawns and containers.

Don't overdo the amount of evergreens in your garden, otherwise it will look gloomy and boring. They can act as a dominant plant and, in combination with deciduous crops and bright flowers, create unique contrasts. Designers recommend maintaining a balance in the garden between evergreen and deciduous plants.

The most popular are evergreen ornamental shrubs with beautiful flowers (rhododendron, heathers, mahonia, viburnum and others). A number of evergreen shrubs are grown solely for their leaves. Evergreen herbaceous perennials such as cloves, bergenia, chistets, thyme, and hoofed grass are spectacular.

When choosing plants for your garden, remember that:

• you should purchase seedlings zoned for the location conditions of your site;
• it is better to purchase the most popular varieties tested by your friends;
• Some plants that winter well in the southern regions of the Leningrad region do not tolerate frost on the Karelian Isthmus and should be insulated.
• when choosing the location and purpose of planting - flower bed, border, mixborder, green hedge, ground carpet, etc. — both the height of the plant in adulthood, as well as its shape, color, and growth rate must be taken into account. It is also necessary to make sure that the selected specimen is suitable for the given location, soil acidity, drainage, and lighting. Don't forget to set the groundwater level - this is especially important for evergreen trees and shrubs, especially conifers.
• You should buy an evergreen plant only in a container or with a clod of earth, because even short-term drying of the roots can lead to the shedding of leaves, after which the plants have difficulty recovering. In addition, planting in containers is possible without time restrictions.

Let's look at the most popular evergreens in our area.

Azarum (clefthoof)

The leaves of asarum are similar in shape to the leaves of cyclamen - they have a heart-shaped or hoof-shaped shape, which is why the plant is called the hoof.

Popular types include Oriental, Siebold and Canadian. Some have glossy leaves, others have a fine texture, and some have a striking silver color. They also differ in leaf size.

Azarum loves organic-rich, slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soil, so it should be planted in moist, shady areas. This deciduous ornamental plant looks great in flower bed borders and in group plantings. Clefthoof is popular for its beautiful leaves, winter hardiness and hardiness. It densely covers the ground with a green carpet, forming ground cover clumps of varying densities that inhibit the growth of weeds.

Overwintered leaves of the hoofweed grow old and fall off, however, having lost them, the plant quickly acquires very tender new ones.

Thrift

Armeria forms a cushion of grass-like leaves, above which in spring bouquets of bright pink, red and white small flowers rise on thin peduncles. Possible re-blooming in autumn. There are many varieties of Armeria, and they are quite affordable.

Badan

This is a spectacular ground cover plant with large fleshy leaves up to 30 cm in diameter, which grows quickly, covering open areas with a carpet. At the end of autumn, with the onset of winter cold, the oval-heart-shaped, blunt-toothed leaves of bergenia acquire a beautiful lilac-red or bronze hue.

Overwintered leaves turn black and new ones grow to replace them. Small bell flowers of lavender-pink, pinkish-purple or white flowers with a waxy coating appear on fleshy peduncles. The flowers are collected in dense paniculate-corymbose inflorescences ranging in size from 8 to 18 cm. There are up to 130 flowers in one inflorescence. The flowering period of bergenia is from the end of April - beginning of May until the end of June, unless it falls under spring frosts. Secondary flowering is possible in August or September.

The best place for bergenia is semi-shaded. It also grows well in the sun. This plant prefers neutral or slightly alkaline loose, nutritious, well-drained soil in elevated areas, with constant moisture. Bergenia is drought-resistant. During spring frosts, it should be insulated so that the flower buds do not freeze. Bergenia is propagated by seeds and division of overgrown bushes. Seeds are sown in early spring.

You can use this plant in compositions in flower beds, ridges, alpine slides, and rocky gardens.

Periwinkle

Rhizomatous subshrub with recumbent or ascending stems and evergreen wintering leaves. In spring, graceful single five-petal flowers with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm, simple or double, appear on short erect shoots 15-20 cm high. Flowers, depending on the variety and growing conditions, vary in number, size, and color: they are soft blue, lilac-blue, dark blue, blue with a purple tint, lilac or white. Elliptical leaves with short petioles, leathery and shiny, also differ in color: dark green, light green with cream edges, yellow. There are varieties of leaves with two colors: golden and silver-variegated.

The stems grow 40-60 cm per season and are capable of blooming again. The fruit forms two oblong or cylindrical seeds of brownish or brown color. Roots - numerous and fibrous - appear at all nodes of the stem when they come into contact with the ground.

Periwinkle is a very durable plant. The evergreen, dense greenery is used to create a wonderful ground carpet in shady, semi-shady and sunny locations with good drainage and moist soil. The branches of this plant, growing, intertwine. Periwinkle works well as a ground cover for banks, embankments and other sloping areas. It is also used in ampel form.

Small mats of bergenia are spectacular on rocky hills. It is also used for planting in borders and curtains between trees.

Caring for periwinkle is not difficult: you can water it rarely, and fertilizing is not necessary.

Monetary loosestrife

This creeping plant with white and yellow flowers has long been a favorite of gardeners. It retains its foliage all year round, covering the surface of the ground in damp, shaded areas. The wild form of this plant grows strongly, but the cultivated varieties are quite compact.

From May to August, numerous yellow flowers up to 2 cm in diameter bloom on the stems.

Loosestrife prefers moist soil and little shade, but there are varieties that grow excellently in sunny places.

Carnation

One of the most popular and widespread plants. There are up to 300 species of herbaceous one-, two- and perennial carnations. Among the many species there are evergreen and semi-evergreen forms.

Carnations have a simple, branched and erect stem. The leaves are sessile, linear, linear-lanceolate, flat or slightly grooved. The color of the leaves is green, reddish or bluish. The flowers are solitary, collected in racemes or panicles; pink, lilac, white, red or yellow.

With their generous flowers, delightful carved petals and almost always a pleasant aroma, carnations add charm to the garden. The winter hardiness of many types of carnations allows them to be cultivated in the north. To preserve greenery, it should be covered with spruce branches for the winter - not so much from frost, but from mice. There is no need to cover low varieties, since they retain greenery under a layer of snow without additional shelter.

Heuchera

Ground cover plant from the Saxifraga family. It has luxurious wide rosettes of leaves. The leaves are lobed, oval, heart-shaped, covered with down and riddled with veins. Small charming flowers sit on tall peduncles.

Heuchera is grown for its decorative leaves. Flowers - white, pink, red and even green - appear on peduncles 45 to 75 cm high.

Popular varieties are Peter Moon (pink flowers and marble-gray leaves), Red Spendleys (red flowers and pale green leaves with dark green streaks), Greenfinch (green flowers and green leaves).

The rhizome of heuchera is short, dense and slightly creeping; the root system is shallow.

Heuchera is easily propagated by sowing seeds, dividing rhizomes and cutting rosettes. Grows well in any garden soil, but prefers loose and fertile soil. It can go for a very long time without replanting, but young 2-3 year old plants look neater and bloom more profusely.

Heuchera is moisture-loving, but drought-resistant. It develops and blooms well in partial shade and sun. During snowless periods of winter, it requires dry cover with coniferous spruce branches.

Tenacious

One of the most interesting ornamental ground cover plants. It reproduces by aboveground creeping shoots that end in rooting rosettes. Its root system is fibrous, shallow, but strong.

The tenacious blooms in early summer. Inflorescences up to 30 cm long consist of numerous small blue flowers. She is unpretentious. Good for filling all empty and unattractive places under trees, shrubs, and also looks good among colorful plants in flower beds. On nutritious soils, the tenacious plant forms luxurious carpets.

The leaves are usually beet-brown or dark green; in bright sun, the color of the leaves becomes more expressive.

Use this plant to create ground cover, borders, and to anchor slopes.

Iberis (wall)

In addition to annual and perennial species, winter-green forms are of particular interest. These are wintering subshrubs with small stem oval-lanceolate leaves. The root system of this plant is weakly branched and deep-lying.

Small flowers measuring 2 cm are collected in corymbose inflorescences. As the plants grow, they completely cover the planting area, turning into a cushion up to 30 cm high, and flowers rise above the evergreen leaves.

Reproduction in Iberis is by seed or vegetative - layering and cuttings.

Iberis is grown on soils of average fertility with good drainage, and it is also taken into account that it loves full or partial light.

Saxifraga (saxifraga)

About 90 species of this plant are common in our country, but no more than 15 of them are used to decorate the garden. Saxifraga is a plant with a height of 5 to 70 cm that creates thick or loose clumps in the garden.

The leaves have different shapes: from lanceolate to rhombic, color - from green to yellow-spotted. The flowers are five-petaled, small, star-shaped; There are white, yellowish, pink, cherry and greenish. The paniculate inflorescences of this plant are very spectacular. Saxifraga blooms from May to August. The vast majority of species are evergreen.

Saxifraga is easily propagated vegetatively: by division of the curtain, cuttings, single rosettes after the plants have flowered.

These plants are unpretentious, preferring calcareous soils, sunny locations and good drainage.

Plant saxifrage on rocky hills, in shady flower beds, use it to decorate the banks of reservoirs and create separate curtains.

Of the evergreen saxifrages, such species and varieties are widely used as urban (up to 30 cm high), Arendsa (they are sometimes called “Mossy saxifrages”), opposite-leaved (blooms very profusely with pink-red flowers), shady (creates beautiful dense clumps of flat rosettes about 5 cm in diameter, the leaves are round, almost smooth, green and yellowish-spotted), Elizabeth (with yellow flowers), soddy (forms dense, pillow-like thickets up to 20 cm high; flowers are white and pink-cherry), Pennsylvanian ( grows in damp places).

Cat's paw (antennary)

Most species are groundcover, low-growing perennials with small silvery leaves and inflorescences that resemble a cat's paw print. The bush grows up to 25 cm in height and up to 45 cm in diameter. Forms dense silvery carpets of small rosettes located at the ends of creeping branching shoots. In June, small inflorescences appear in a range of colors from white to crimson.

It reproduces mainly by dividing clumps in early summer or closer to autumn, at the end of August. Regular rejuvenation is required every 2-3 years.

Cat's paw prefers loose, poor soil; drought-resistant and sun-loving, but shade-tolerant. In addition, this plant is winter-hardy and does not require shelter.

Cat's paw is used for borders in flower beds, planted between path slabs and on dry slopes.

Lungwort (pulmonaria)

Lungwort is an essential border plant, and all its species are extremely interesting. It has bizarre colors: as it ages, the color of the lungwort's corollas changes from pink or purple to violet or blue. Lungwort blooms for a month. Its flowers are bell-shaped or funnel-shaped with a bend, on long stalks there are delicate pubescent leaves of a heart-shaped-ovate shape, and on the upper side of the leaves there are blurry light spots. In winter, under the snow there are bunches of basal, highly overgrown, rough leaves. Lungwort prefers shady places.

Medicinal, narrow-leaved, sugar, red, Folyarsky lungwort - various types of this plant are widely used in our country when creating background clumps, contrasting compositions in flower beds, especially in combination with hostas, ferns and other perennials. It is recommended to plant in shady places.

Juvenile (sempervivum)

This succulent is a popular plant for garden decoration. Spherical rosettes of fleshy leaves measuring from 4 to 15 cm have different colors, density and pubescence. In summer, yellow, red or purple star-shaped flowers bloom, collected in spectacular corymbose-paniculate inflorescences on thick peduncles. Non-flowering rosettes live for several years. Juveniles form dense ground cover clumps.

This plant reproduces by daughter rosettes growing at the ends of ground stolons. It is unpretentious, tolerates any soil, and is also sun-loving and drought-resistant. It is quite frost-resistant, but in severe frosts the young should still be covered with spruce branches.

The most common types of juveniles are web, sucker and roofing. All species look good on rocky hills and in wall crevices.

Euphorbia evergreen

Euphorbia evergreen is one of many species of milkweed. The name of the plant is not accidental - there are known species with white milky juice that flows from the wounded plant.

The leaves of the evergreen milkweed are dark, shiny and collected in dense rosettes. The flowers form inflorescences, with one female flower in the middle and several reduced male flowers around.

Euphorbia is planted in rock gardens and borders.

Aubrieta

An indispensable ground cover plant with dense gray-green pubescent small foliage. In early summer, the leaves are hidden under small flowers of a wide variety of bright colors. After flowering, shave requires pruning. The root system of this plant, ideal for creating a green carpet, is superficial. Reproduction is by seed and vegetative. The main method is division in the spring, at the beginning of growth. Cuttings - in the second half of summer with new shoots that grow after flowering.

Aubrieta is unpretentious to soils, but prefers well-drained areas illuminated by the sun. It is winter-hardy, but it should still be closed for the winter in case of severe frosts. Stagnant waters in spring pose a great danger to aubriet. Popular varieties are Farsighted (up to 12cm tall), Aurevariegata (lavender flowers and gold-edged leaves), Bressingham Pink (double pink flowers) and Doctor Malis (purple flowers).

Fescue (festuka)

An exquisite plant for an elegant green carpet. Fescue is an ornamental grass with blue foliage. The sizes of the festuka are varied: from small (for rock gardens) to large (for borders, mixborders and solitary plantings). This plant is distinguished by its original shape and is interesting for its blue color.

The most popular is gray fescue (Glauca), which forms tussocks of dense gray-blue foliage up to 15 cm high. The Blue Far variety has pure blue leaves, while Amethyst has gray-blue leaves, and it forms larger tussocks. For rock gardens, dwarf Veli fescue, variety Sibirsi, is widely used.

The soil required for fescue is not very fertile, with good drainage, and sunny.

Sedum

This leafy succulent is very popular. By type, sedums are divided into erect, ascending, creeping and rooting. The flowers of these beautiful foliage and ornamental plants are star-shaped, white, yellow and pink, collected in corymbose, paniculate or umbellate inflorescences.

Sedums are unpretentious and resistant to frost. Used to cover the soil, for rockeries and borders. The following varieties of sedum are most common in our area: Caustic, White, Thick-leaved, Bent, False. But this is not a complete list of existing evergreen sedums.

Sedum is caustic, 4-8 cm high, has ascending or recumbent shoots. The leaves, fleshy and short, cover the vegetative shoots. The flowers are golden yellow, up to 1 cm in diameter.

Sedums reproduce by seeds and cuttings.

Fern

Among ferns there are few evergreen species. One of them is a multi-row. His fronds are collected into a rosette resembling a shuttlecock. There are dwarf multi-rows for ground cover plantings and rock gardens, and there are large ones for borders and flower beds of wooded gardens. In frosts, the fern can freeze, so the rosettes are covered with peat or other covering material, and opened in the spring.

The fronds of this fern reach 1.2 meters in length. The leaves of various varieties are strongly or slightly dissected, resembling a feather in shape. Varieties vary in leaf size and shape.

Ferns reproduce in the spring by dividing the bush. It should be remembered that they like fertile, well-drained soil and prefer partial shade.

Sagebrush

Wormwood is loved by gardeners for its feathery, silvery, fragrant greenery. Wormwood comes in different shapes and sizes. Among the types of wormwood there are subshrubs, there are border perennials, wormwood is often used as a ground cover plant for rock gardens. But not all wormwood varieties are evergreen.

Primroses (primroses)

Of the many species and varieties of primroses, only the auricular primrose keeps its leaves green in winter. But even among the auricular primroses, not all can withstand our cold. The most stable border hybrid, Auricula, has been noted, with fleshy spoon-shaped leaves and fragrant flowers on peduncles 10-20 cm high. Flowering begins in early summer. The flowers of this primrose not only have a pleasant aroma, but also delight with their beauty and richness of color combinations - they are yellow, gray-blue, raspberry-blue, red-brown-yellow.

Successful cultivation requires well-draining soil and partial shade.

Rezuha (arabis)

A charming ground cover, unpretentious winter-green plant with many flowers on overwintered shoots. The flowers are simple, double, white and pink. They create luxurious curtains or are used in rockeries.

Rezuha reproduces well by seeds and vegetatively. Periodic rejuvenation is required. After abundant flowering, pruning of faded shoots is necessary - this provokes the regrowth of new ones.

Loose, fertile, drained, non-acidic soil is preferable for rhizomes. This plant is light-loving and drought-resistant, but suffers from stagnant water, and in severe frosts requires shelter.

Rezuha can be used to create decorative groups, curtains, borders, green “spots” in rocky gardens and to secure slopes.

Tiarella

An ornamental plant with panicles of white or creamy white foamy flowers. Small and delicate, they are placed on peduncles up to 45 cm high and bloom from mid-spring for four to six weeks, rising above clumps of beautiful sharp-toothed fluffy leaves. The heart-shaped leaves, moderately green in summer and reddish-bronze or dark purple in autumn, remain through winter. They may have black veins or spots, giving them a peculiar beauty. Growing vigorously, tiarella creates a lovely ground carpet up to 30-45 cm high. It is used for planting along the edges of borders, in rocky gardens or to create a spectacular array in shady places. To grow it, you need slightly acidic soil, enriched with organic matter and moderately moist.

Thyme

Creeping deciduous ornamental plant 7-10 cm high; rosetteless taproot evergreen subshrub. The shoots are creeping, flowering branches rise above the surface of the ground. Over time, dense turf forms. Thyme leaves are narrow and oblong, densely covering the shoots; the flowers are small, the inflorescences are capitate. Thyme is winter- and drought-resistant. It reproduces by seeds and division of bushes.

The Creeping variety is distinguished by an interesting shape of leaves - they are oblong-elliptical, and long-ciliated along the edges. The inflorescences are compact, 2-3 cm long, of bright pink-lilac color.

Chistets

This is one of the best ground cover plants with silvery foliage. Thick oval and lanceolate leaves are completely covered with white or gray hairs. In mid-summer, most chistets have pubescent peduncles, on which small purple flowers are located in whorls, which are of no particular decorative value. There are also non-flowering varieties.

The height of chistets in different varieties is from 10 to 45 cm.

The most popular species among gardeners is the woolly chist (stachys) or bear's ear, which grows in luxurious large loose clumps. Shortened shoots overwinter under the snow.

The rhizome of the chistets is short, weakly creeping, the root system is strong.

Vegetative propagation is most often used: cuttings, layering or dividing bushes.

Chistets are undemanding to soil, but prefer loose soil in the sun or partial shade. Resistant to winter cold and does not even require shelter.

This beautiful silvery plant is used for planting in borders or in separate groups.

All the information provided in this article, of course, does not cover in as much detail as possible the versatile properties of evergreen herbaceous plants, but should help you choose worthy decorations for your garden.

T. Barkhatova, florist

Based on materials from Flora Price

Evergreen boxwood (Buxus sempervires)

The genus Buxus includes about 70 species of slow-growing, broad-leaved evergreens. Most garden forms are cultivars or hybrids of two species: B. sempervirens and B. microphylla.

Boxwoods are typically large shrubs or small trees, but most varieties used in modern landscaping are dwarf varieties such as B. Sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' and Buxus sinica var. Insularis.

Reaching a mature height of just 60cm, these dwarf boxwood shrubs are prized for their thick, light green leaves and round, compact shape when growing.

Boxwood is best planted in loamy soil in full sun or partial shade, preferably in an area better protected from the wind. Their roots are shallow, so the soil must be protected from heat.

There should be an 8cm thick layer of organic garden mulch around each plant. The mulch should be 5cm from the trunk and about 30cm outwards around the entire circumference if space allows. If this process is carried out close to a bush or tree, pests can be attracted.

Boxwood tolerates full sun to partial shade, but is preferably planted in dappled shade during the hottest part of the day. Covered by trees, dwarf boxwood roots will benefit from cooler soil temperatures.

Boxwood bushes require well-drained soil or they will suffer from root rot. Although they can tolerate soils with lower pH, a soil pH in the range of 6.8 to 7.5 is preferred.

For the first two years, boxwood requires weekly deep watering, otherwise the moisture will not reach the main root system. With deep watering every 2-4 weeks, mature plants will grow well.

In the spring, before new shoots appear, the bushes must be fertilized with universal fertilizer.

Bamboo

Bamboo is the ideal solution for those who want to add a touch of exoticism to their evergreen garden. Despite the fact that the climate of the middle zone is alien to this plant, bamboo takes root well and withstands moderate frosts.

In landscape design. Since bamboo began to appear in domestic gardens quite recently, a consensus about its place in landscape design has not yet formed. In my opinion, bamboo is best suited for forming small groves.

Care. As already mentioned, bamboo is one of the few exotic plants that takes root without problems in the conditions of central Russia and does not require special care. However, in winter it should still be covered.

When is the best time to prune evergreen bushes?

As a rule, needle bushes are pruned in early spring - towards the end of the dormant period and before new shoots appear. Pruning plants at this time allows enough time for new shoots to appear and also allows them to get stronger until next winter.

But often broadleaf shrubs (and some needle-bearing varieties) require a different approach. For example, if they are flowering shrubs (that is, plants valued for their flowers), you will have to wait until after the flowering period to prune them. Otherwise, the more flower buds that are removed during the pruning process, the less pleasure will be obtained from the sight of flowering plants.

And what’s the point of growing such a bush if you can’t admire its flowers? In particular, pruning azaleas and rhododendrons after they have finished flowering makes much more sense than pre-pruning them.

Erika

Flower lovers should definitely take a closer look at Erica. This beautiful plant looks like a small bush, the height of which rarely exceeds 20-25 cm, and during flowering Erica is filled with a huge number of small buds.

In landscape design. The main feature of Erica is the huge number of varieties that can be chosen based on the month of flowering and the desired shade of flowers. Most often, Erica is used to decorate flower beds.

Care. Caring for it varies greatly depending on the type. For example, Erica ruddy is tolerant of lime, while Erica ashen is completely unsuited to it. Therefore, care for this plant should be selected, primarily based on the selected species.