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Our top 5 evergreen shrubs:

When planning a garden or filling gaps in borders, picking the right sized shrub is important. This helps reduce the need for unnecessary moving or pruning to restrict size.

The evergreens below are ordered by size. It excludes conifers but many great selections of these can be found on the 911±¬ÁÏ Find a Plant .

Before choosing a shrub it is important to understand your garden. Here are a few points to consider before making your choice;

A suitable soil test ( 911±¬ÁÏ Soil Analysis Service ) will help identify the soil texture and acidity or alkalinity which will influence the range of suitable plants. Acid-loving or ericaceous shrubs grow best in a pH

This describes how acid or alkaline soil is, and is expressed as a number between 0 and 14. Soil with a pH of 7 is neutral, an acid soil has a lower value, and an alkaline soil has a higher one. Most plants grow best in soil that’s within a specific pH range, so it’s useful to know your soil’s pH. Testing kits are easy to use and widely available in garden centres and online. range of 4-6, and ideally pH 5-5.5.

• Note the number of hours of sunshine the position receives as the seasons change
• Consider the ultimate height and spread of the shrub as well as rate of growth
• Assess the microclimate of your garden and choose suitable plants

This selection of evergreen shrubs consists of widely available hardy plants that are grouped by their ultimate size (which they may attain in 10-20 years). Plants with attractive foliage or acid loving are marked.

Key

(v) = variegated

Variegated means having leaves or other plant parts with streaks, blotches or patches of different colours. Typically, these would be a combination of two colours, such as green and gold or green and white.

1. Ultimate height usually less than 45cm (18in)

Andromeda polifolia – acid. Native

A native plant is one that originated or arrived naturally in a particular place without human involvement. In the British Isles, native plants are those that were here during the last ice age or have arrived unaided since. to GB and Ireland
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi – acid soil. Native to GB and Ireland
Berberis × stenophylla ‘Corallina Compacta’ AGM
Calluna vulgaris – acid soil. Native to GB and Ireland
Cistus salviifolius 'May Snow' , C. × obtusifolius 'Thrive' AGM, Cistus x sahucii AGM, Cistus x candidus 'Susan' AGM
Cotoneaster dammeri , C. salicifolius 'Gnom' AGM, C. procumbens 'Queen of Carpets' AGM
Daboecia cantabrica – acid soil
Erica carnea : Native to GB and Ireland
E. cinerea : Native to GB and Ireland
E. vagans – acid soil (tolerant of mildly alkaline soil

The acidity/alkalinity of soil is measured on a pH scale, which runs from 0 to 14. Neutral soil has a pH of 7. Alkaline (lime-rich) soil has a pH above 7, and the higher the pH, the more alkaline the soil. Chalky or limestone soils are alkaline. You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. If you have alkaline soil, choose plants that will thrive in it – acid-loving or ericaceous plants such as rhododendrons will not. Club root disease (which affects brassicas) is less prevalent in alkaline soil. ). Native to GB and Ireland
Gaultheria procumbens AGM, G. cuneata , G. × wisleyensis 'Pink Pixie' – acid soil
Helianthemum 'Wisley Primrose' AGM
Pachysandra terminalis AGM
Santolina chamaecyparissus var. nana AGM – attractive aromatic foliage
Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis – fragrant flowers
Teucrium chamaedrys : Native to GB
Thymus serphyllum : Native to GB and Ireland
Veronica 'Baby Marie' , V. ‘Youngii’ , V. 'Emerald Gem' AGM, V. pimeloides 'Quicksilver' AGM, V. pinguifolia ‘P²¹²µ±ð¾±â€™ AGM
Vinca major 'Variegata' AGM (v), V. minor 'Ralph Shugert' AGM (v) – attractive foliage

2. Ultimate height usually 45-100cm (18in-3ft)

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ AGM - aromatic foliage
Brachyglottis (Dunedin Group) ‘Sunshine’ AGM, B.monroi , B. [Walburton's Silver Dormouse] = 'Walbrach' AGM – attractive foliage
Cistusdansereaui 'Decumbens' AGM, C. × pulverulentus ‘S³Ü²Ô²õ±ð³Ù’ , C . × purpureus 'Alan Fradd'
Cistus ocymoides AGM, C. lasianthum
Convolvulus cneorum AGM
Cotoneaster conspicuus ‘D±ð³¦´Ç°ù³Ü²õ’ AGM, C. microphyllus
Danae racemosa AGM
Daphne tangutica AGM, D. × transatlantica [Eternal Fragrance] = 'Blafra' AGM, D. pontica – fragrant flowers
Erica × darleyensis – acid soil (alkaline soils tolerated)
Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ AGM, E. fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ AGM, E. fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ AGM
Gaultheria mucronata (syn. Pernettya mucronata) (male and female plants are needed to ensure females produce berries) – acid soil
Helichrysum italicum 'Korma' – attractive aromatic foliage
Hypericumlancasteri
Lavandula (including L. angustifolia ' Hicote' AGM, L. × chaytoriae 'Sawyers' AGM, L. 'Regal Splendour' and L . stoechas subsp. stoechas 'Provencal' – aromatic flowers and foliage
Leptospermum scoparium (Nanum Group) ‘Kiwi’ AGM
Lonicera pileata
Mahonia aquifolium – attractive foliage
Nandinadomestica 'Firepower' – attractive foliage
Phlomis fruticosa AGM – attractive foliage
Pieris 'Little Heath' (v)
Pittosporumtenuifolium 'Golf Ball' , P. tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' AGM
Prostanthera cuneata AGM – aromatic foliage
Rhododendron (many) – acid soil
Ruscus aculeatus - Native to GB
Santolina pinnata subsp. neapolitana AGM – attractive aromatic foliage
Teucriumfruticans 'Azureum' AGM
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Koralle Group AGM – acid soil. Cultivar

Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit. of Native to GB and Ireland
Veronica (many, including V. ‘Autumn Glory’ , V. 'Heartbreaker' (v), V. 'Mrs Winder' AGM, V .'Pascal' AGM, V. 'Purple Shamrock' (v)
Viburnum davidii AGM
Yucca filamentosa AGM, Y. flaccida â€Òµ±¹´Ç°ù²â’ AGM
Vinca minor 'Ralph Shugert' AGM (v) – attractive foliage. Cultivar of Archaeophyte of GB and Ireland

3. Ultimate height usually 1-2m (3-6ft)

Berberis verruculosa AGM
Bupleurum fruticosum
Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens' AGM, C. viminalis 'Captain Cook'
Ceanothus 'Dark Star' AGM
Choisya × dewitteana 'Aztec Pearl' AGM, C. ternata [Sundance] = 'Lich' AGM
Cistusagularii 'Maculatus' AGM, C. × cyprius var. ellipticus 'Elma' AGM
Coronillavalentina subsp. glauca 'Variegata' AGM (v) - fragrant flowers
Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' AGM(v), D. odora [Rebecca] = 'Hewreb' AGM (v)
Desfontainiaspinosa AGM
Euonymus japonicus 'Bravo' (v)
Grevillea 'Olympic Flame'
Leucothoe [Scarletta] = 'Zeblid' AGM - attractive foliage
Ligustrumjaponicum 'Rotundifolium'
Loniceranitida 'Baggesen's Gold' AGM
Lumaapiculata 'Glanleam Gold' (v)
Mahonia × wagneri ‘U²Ô»å³Ü±ô²¹³Ù²¹â€™ AGM – attractive foliage
Nandinadomestica – attractive foliage
Olearia × haastii , O. phlogopappa 'Comber's Pink'
Pieris japonica ‘V²¹°ù¾±±ð²µ²¹³Ù²¹â€™ (v) – acid soil
Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’ AGM
Rhaphiolepisumbellata
Sarcococca confusa AGM, S. hookeriana var. digyna AGM - fragrant flowers
Skimmia × confusa 'Kew Green' AGM, S. japonica (male and female plants are needed to ensure females produce berries)
Vaccinium glaucoalbum AGM, V. macrocarpum – acid soil
Veronica ‘Midsummer Beauty’ , V. 'Great Orme'
Vestiafoetida

4. Ultimate height usually in region of 2-4m (6-12ft)

Argrocytisus battandieri – fragrant flowers
Aucuba japonica
Berberis darwinii AGM, B. julianae , B. trigona ‘Orange King’ ,
B. × lologensis 'Apricot Queen' AGM
Camellia japonica , C. × williamsii – acid soil
Ceanothus 'Concha' AGM, C. 'Puget Blue' AGM
Choisya ternata AGM
Cotoneaster lacteus AGM, C. frigidus ‘C´Ç°ù²Ô³Ü²ú¾±²¹â€™ AGM (semi-evergreen)
Daphnebholua (including D. bholua 'Jaqueline Postill' AGM, D. bholua 'Limpsfield' , D. bholua 'Peter Smithers' ) - fragrant flowers
Elaeagnus × submacrophylla AGM, E. × submacrophylla 'Gilt Edge' AGM (v), E. pungens ‘M²¹³¦³Ü±ô²¹³Ù²¹â€™ AGM (v) - fragrant flowers
Erica arborea , E. arborea var. alpina AGM, E. lusitanica AGM – acid soil (though some tolerance of alkaline soils)
Escallonia
Eucryphia milliganii
Fatsia japonica AGM – attractive foliage
Fremontodendron 'California Glory' AGM
Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ (m) AGM, G . × issaquahensis 'Glasnevin Wine'(m) AGM
Grevillea 'Canberra Gem' AGM
Juniperus communis 'Hibernica' AGM - Cultivar of Native to GB and Ireland
Convexa'(f) AGM, I. crenata Fastigiata Group 'Fastigiata' (f) AGM
Iteailicifolia AGM - fragrant flowers
Jasminumhumile 'Revolutum' AGM
Kalmia latifolia AGM – acid soil
Leptospermum grandiflorum
Ligustrum japonicum , L. ' Vicaryi'
Mahonia bealei , M. japonica AGM, M. × media ‘C³ó²¹°ù¾±³Ù²â’ AGM - fragrant flowers
Myrtuscommunis AGM
Osmanthus × burkwoodii AGM, O. delavayi AGM – fragrant flowers
Phillyreaangustifolia
Pieris formosa var. forrestii ‘W²¹°ì±ð³ó³Ü°ù²õ³Ù’ AGM, P. japonica – acid soil, attractive foliage
Pyracantha coccinea 'Red Column' , P. ‘M´Ç³ó²¹±¹±ð’ , P. rogersiana ‘F±ô²¹±¹²¹â€™ AGM,
P. [Saphyr Rouge] = 'Cadrou' AGM, P. ‘Teton’
Rhododendron (many) – acid soil
Veronica salicifolia
Viburnum × burkwoodii , V. × hilleri 'Winton' AGM, V. rhytidophylloides 'Willowood' , V. tinus – fragrantflowers

5. Ultimately exceeding 4m (12ft) under most conditions

Arbutus × andrachnoides AGM, A. unedo AGM: Native to Ireland
Azaramicrophylla AGM
Callistemon salignus AGM
Daphniphyllummacropodum
Griselinia littoralis AGM
Ilex × altaclerensis , I. aquifolium AGM: Native to GB and Ireland, I × meserveae
Laurus nobilis (bay)
Magnolia grandiflora 'Kay Parris' AGM – acid soil (tolerates alkaline soil)
Oleaeuropaea (olive)
Oleariamacrodonta AGM
Phillyrealatifolia
Photinia × fraseri ‘Red Robin’ AGM – attractive foliage
Prunus laurocerasus , P. lusitanica AGM
Viburnum cinnamomifolium , V. rhytidophyllum

Note: This list not exhaustive and new cultivars are regularly introduced. There are numerous other evergreen shrubs of varying degrees of hardiness and garden value. Residents in milder coastal areas, milder counties and owners of warm, sheltered sunny walls might add considerably to these lists with the more tender Mediterranean and southern hemisphere plants

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