Advice on an evergreen addition to my garden, please.

Hi ,
I have a small south-facing front garden at my late Victorian house in Kent. We have a 1 metre wall, but the plot is otherwise exposed, especially as we face a junction, so the wind and rain can whip in.
We want to plant a single central evergreen feature needing minimal maintenance that will remain fairly low to the ground to avoid losing light to the house. Colour at some point in the year would be great. Any ideas you lovely people?

 

Hiya Kim
A yew would fit your criteria. Taxus Summergold for example. It’s evergreen, lovely yellow foliage, grows anywhere without problem, except on waterlogged soils, and makes a nice mound of foliage all year round. Can be topiarised. Easily kept to size.
I have a variety here, no longer available I think, that has green and white leaves in winter turning orange copper in spring and then butter yellow in summer. Lovely thing.

A choisya is worth considering.....aromatic foliage and scented white flowers in spring and summer....not called the Mexican orange blossom for nothing. Once established it is tolerant of wind and rain. Very tactile

Pittosporums too are worth a look at......Tom Thumb has purple black evergreen foliage, Garnettii has grey/silver foliage. Lots of different varieties all with scented flowers in early summer and all low maintenance and easily kept to size.

Euonymus varieties are mostly evergreen and many are variegated. Make good shaped bushes. Emerald n Gold is a beauty....smallish with foliage turning pinkier in winter and bright yellow and green leaves.

Senecio Greyii is a lovely silver grey shrub wider than high, low maintenance, salt and wind resistant and has bright yellow flowers in early to mid summer.

A few ideas Kim. Others are sure to add suggestions.

The above will grow in most soils but do you know if your soil is acid or alkaline? If acid, you could consider azaleas, rhododendrons etc

 

You might take a look at junipers and rosemarys, too.

 

Thank you, Verdun! Lots of great ideas. We have chalky soil and I particularly like your first two suggestions . Much appreciated.

 

Thanks, Clare

 

Wow! Gorgeous Many thanks for these ideas, Armandii

 

We went with a Pittosporum Nana in the end. Thank you, Verdun, for the suggestion, and to everyone else who replied

 

Looks perfect there Kim