Elegant when used alone and sublime as companion plants, boxwoods offer amazing versatility in the garden.
They lookstately in potsand add a spot of green to any winter garden.
Plus, deer don’t usually eat them.
Credit: Robbie Caponetto
Some grow as tall as a tree and just as wide, while others hug the ground.
‘Suffruticosa’ does best in well-drained, loamy soil.
This is a dwarf cultivar that grows 2 to 3 feet tall and slightly wider.
Credit:Ralph Anderson
Littleleaf boxwoods have the most finely textured leaves and can easily be shaped with pruning.
Mulch well to keep the soil cool and conserve moisture.
Japanese boxwood prefers moist and cool soil, so mulch heavily around the roots.
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‘Wintergreen’ has the best winter color; other cultivars can turn bronzy in the cold.
These shrubs can be grown in average soil but do best in moist, sandy loam.
The mound-shaped plants can be pruned as aprivacy screen, eventually growing to 10 feet tall.
Credit:Ralph Anderson
But this species is less cold-tolerant, hardy only to USDA Zone 7b.
Plant it in a spot protected from winter winds to avoid bronzing.
These boxwoods generally reach about 3 feet but occasionally grow to 5 feet tall.
Credit:Ralph Anderson
The vibrant green foliage stands out against a holly hedge and Four box-clipped European hornbeams.
At the end of this terrace rests a paved sitting area surrounding a fire pit.
This impactful front yard garden surrounded with antique bricks was designed in the style of Colonial Williamsburg.
Credit:Ralph Anderson
Shape Boxwoods Into Topiaries
Boxwoods can be made into topiaries like this lollipop-shaped standard.
Then lightly trim the leaves to achieve the shape you want.
Gardener Anthony Brewington planted 300 ‘Wintergreen’ boxwoods inthis Alabama oasisand shaped them into a wavy hedge.
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Credit:Helen Norman
Credit:Laurey W. Glenn
Credit: Robbie Caponetto; Produced: Mark Thompson
Credit: Robbie Caponetto
