In winter most plants have lost their greenery. Wherever you look there are only shades of gray. By planting evergreen trees, you can create relaxing green splashes of color even in the cold season, which create beautiful accents in the garden and still provide privacy and wind protection.
Which evergreen trees are hardy?
Evergreen, hardy trees are mainly conifers such as silver fir (Abies alba), Norway fir (Picea abies), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), European yew (Taxus baccata), western arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) and common juniper (Juniperus communis). Large, evergreen shrubs such as rhododendrons are also hardy and offer green accents in the garden all year round.
What are evergreen trees?
Evergreen plants keep their leaves or needles all year round instead of shedding them in autumn and sprouting again in spring. A distinction must be made between so-called wintergreen trees, whose leaves dry out in autumn but remain on the tree as protection against frost and are often not completely shed until spring. But evergreen trees also shed their leaves or needles from time to time, namely when they have reached a certain age. This usually happens after about three to five years, but varies depending on the species and variety. The variety of evergreen trees is very large, with both coniferous and deciduous trees for the garden.
Evergreen, hardy deciduous trees
Although there are many evergreen deciduous trees, there are not any hardy deciduous trees in this country. Instead, the majority are shrubs, which - depending on the species and variety - are grafted onto a semi-stem or standard trunk and thus trained into small trees. These include the Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica), the native boxwood (Buxus), as well as the holly (Ilex) and the ivy (Hedera). The species mentioned are generally very easy to cut and are therefore also suitable for hedges.
Evergreen conifers
If you're looking for a real, evergreen tree, you're more likely to find conifers. These can cause wonderful effects in the garden, for example through bizarre growth, an unusual needle color or bright red fruit decorations. Conifers come in different sizes, making them suitable for both small and large gardens. Most species are quite undemanding in terms of their location and easy to care for. The most beautiful hardy conifers include the following:
- White fir (Abies alba)
- Scottish fir / Norway spruce (Picea abies)
- Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
- European Yew (Taxus baccata)
- Occidental tree of life (Thuja occidentalis)
- Common juniper (Juniperus communis)
- Lawson's Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
- Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)
Evergreen rhododendrons
Many rhododendrons - not trees, but large shrubs - are evergreen and also delight in spring with their lush flower decorations. Examples of evergreen species suitable for the garden are
- Beautiful Rhododendron (Rhododendron calophytum)
- Fortunes Rhododendron (Rhododendron fortunei)
- Excellent Rhododendron (Rhododendron insigne)
- Ward's Rhododendron (Rhododendron wardii)
Rhododendrons feel most comfortable in acidic soils with a pH value between 4.5 and 5. Most garden soils need to be improved with peat (€15.00 on Amazon) or rhododendron soil before planting.
Tip
Evergreen plants still need water even in winter. It is therefore advisable to water them from time to time, provided the ground is frost-free. This is particularly useful when the winter is rather dry and the plants are already losing their leaves.