Beauty Year Round
Landscaping with evergreens has long been a favored choice among gardeners and homeowners for its ability to provide year-round beauty and structure to outdoor spaces. Among the diverse array of evergreen options available, Green Velvet Boxwoods, Green Mountain Boxwoods, Wintergreen Boxwoods, and Green Giant Arborvitae stand out as excellent choices for creating vibrant and elegant landscapes. In this exploration, we will delve into the characteristics of these evergreens, their various shapes and heights, and the art of layering them to craft captivating landscapes that endure the changing seasons.
Green Velvet Boxwoods (Buxus 'Green Velvet')
Green Velvet Boxwoods, scientifically known as Buxus 'Green Velvet,' are a popular choice in landscaping for their striking deep green foliage and compact, rounded growth habit. These evergreens are prized for their rich, velvety leaves that maintain their vibrant color year-round. With a mature height of 2-3 feet and a similar spread, they are ideal for low hedges, borders, or as individual specimens in garden beds. One of the notable attributes of Green Velvet Boxwoods is their adaptability to various soil types and light conditions. They do well in full sun or partial shade, making them versatile additions to any landscape. Their dense growth habit also makes them excellent for maintaining privacy or as a backdrop for other garden features.
Green Mountain Boxwoods (Buxus 'Green Mountain')
Green Mountain Boxwoods, or Buxus 'Green Mountain,' are another exceptional evergreen variety known for their upright, conical shape and lush green foliage. These boxwoods can reach heights of 5-6 feet when mature, with a narrower spread than Green Velvet Boxwoods. This makes them an excellent choice for creating focal points or accentuating specific areas in your landscape. The distinctive pyramidal form of Green Mountain Boxwoods lends itself well to topiary and formal garden designs. They are also remarkably resilient to harsh weather conditions, including heavy snow loads, making them a reliable choice for regions with cold winters. Green Mountain Boxwoods are equally comfortable in full sun to partial shade, offering flexibility in their placement within your landscaping scheme.
Wintergreen Boxwoods (Buxus microphylla 'Wintergreen')
Wintergreen Boxwoods, scientifically known as Buxus microphylla 'Wintergreen,' are cherished for their small, glossy leaves that keep their vibrant green color throughout the year. These evergreens have a slightly more compact growth habit than other boxwood varieties, reaching 2-3 feet in height and a similar spread. One of the key advantages of Wintergreen Boxwoods is their exceptional cold tolerance, making them a preferred choice in northern climates. They also adapt well to various soils and light conditions, from full sun to partial shade. Their compact size and dense foliage make them excellent choices for edging, foundation plantings, or border plants.
Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja 'Green Giant')
Green Giant Arborvitae, scientifically known as Thuja 'Green Giant,' are not boxwoods but prominent evergreen trees valued for their fast growth and towering presence. When fully mature, these arborvitaes can reach towering heights of 50-60 feet, with a pyramidal shape that adds vertical interest to any landscape. One of the standout features of Green Giant Arborvitae is their rapid growth rate, making them ideal for creating privacy screens or windbreaks in a relatively short period. Their vibrant green foliage is soft and feathery, providing a visually appealing contrast to other evergreen varieties. Green Giant Arborvitae thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Shapes and Heights: Crafting Diversity in the Landscape
The diversity of shapes and heights among these evergreens opens up a world of possibilities in landscape design. By strategically incorporating these varieties into your outdoor space, you can create visually appealing contrasts and focal points that evolve with the changing seasons.
- Low Hedges and Borders: Green Velvet and Wintergreen Boxwoods are perfect for creating neat hedges and borders with their compact and low-growing nature. Their consistent greenery ensures year-round structure and beauty.
- Vertical Accents: Green Mountain Boxwoods, with their upright, conical shape, and Green Giant Arborvitae, with their towering stature, serve as excellent vertical accents. Plant them as specimens to draw the eye upward and add drama to your landscape.
- Topiary and Formal Gardens: Green Mountain Boxwoods can be pruned into geometric shapes, making them ideal for topiary and formal garden designs. Their structured growth habit allows for creativity in shaping and sculpting.
Layering for Depth in Landscaping
Creating depth in landscaping is essential to crafting visually engaging and dynamic outdoor spaces. Layering evergreens is a powerful technique to achieve this depth and imbue your landscape with dimension and interest.
- Foreground Plantings: Start with low-growing evergreens like Green Velvet Boxwoods or Wintergreen Boxwoods in the foreground. These provide a foundation and draw the eye in.
- Mid-Level Interest: Place Green Mountain Boxwoods or other mid-sized evergreens behind the foreground plants to create a sense of depth. The upright growth of Green Mountain Boxwoods can act as vertical punctuation.
- Towering Backdrop: To add the finishing touch, plant Green Giant Arborvitae or other tall evergreens in the background. These provide a dramatic backdrop that enhances the overall composition and adds a sense of scale to the landscape.
By strategically layering these evergreens, you achieve a harmonious blend of heights, forms, and textures that evolve and transform with the seasons. This creates a visually captivating landscape and ensures your outdoor space is appealing and inviting year-round.
Landscaping with evergreens offers a timeless and versatile approach to enhancing the beauty and functionality of your outdoor space. Green Velvet Boxwoods, Green Mountain Boxwoods, Wintergreen Boxwoods, and Green Giant Arborvitae are just a few examples of the remarkable evergreens at your disposal. Through careful consideration of their shapes, heights, and the art of layering, you can create landscapes that exude enduring charm and vitality, celebrating the beauty of nature throughout the year.