Evergreen non toxic shrubs

Hi All, hope everyone is well .... Been a while since I've been here.

Was wondering if I could ask for some help.

I only have a smallish town garden and I've spent many winters looking out feeling utterly depressed at gaps and twigs as the perennials die back. So I've decided to change everything to Ever Green shrubs.

Not so colourful I know, but will make the space I have a lot more pleasant to look at all year round and then I'll use baskets and pots for added colour.

I'm looking for around a dozen different varieties but each must be non toxic to dogs (two naughty westie pups who like to snack on everything!).

Any advice would be very much appreciated :-)

 

Hi Sam,
I have 2 cats and was in the same situation like you.I have gone for evergreen garden and have actually put a lot of research in the plants and still learning.I have some of these and they are good depending on the position of sun in your garden.

Some options you have are:

1.Ceanothus
2.Cordyline and some other palm trees like chusan palm or windmill palm.(Try b&q at the end of season.I purchased a sorry state one at a discount of £8 and it has flourished)
3.Red Robin aka Photinia
4.Goldcrest conifer
4.picea glauca alberta

5.Roses and alpines and evergreen heathers.

Please do not plant any laurels as they are poisionous to pets.Cats maybe ok but dogs definitely no no.

Hope this helps.

 

What about some of the herbs? Rosemary and sage spring to mind. Both grow quite large if you let them.

 

Thanks for these :-)

I have already decided on Ceanothus for the back wall. We have one already in a different position and it looks lovely all year round ! We have just hacked out today a very old spirea bridal wreath that was about 15 foot tall. Big job that was !

I had a 8 foot tall Cordyline until the harsh winter 2012. It started to grow back last year though with about 6 heads on it rather than just the one we had before. Am hoping it will be a beauty

I will look up the others, thank you.

One question though, I thought all Photinia were toxic ?

 

Herbs ? See I always thought herbs were all low growing plants. I'll have to have a better look.

 

Photnia Red tip or red robin or Fraseri is dog friendly.You can check on ASPCA website.

 

Lovely thanks Gain .... I've got the ASPCA website on bookmarks !

My old dog never ate the plants, she only sat on them

And my Jack Russell is now 9 so she is past all the naughty stages ! Obviously I'm trying to teach the Westie's to leave the plants alone but it's very slow going .....

 

Rosemary can in time reach about 5ft, but it doesn't gain height that fast. More typically about 2ft in a couple of years. Sage is a bit lower, but gets more bushy. It also flowers profusely once established, and has the added bonus that there are lots of varieties giving you a fair choice of leaf colour and pattern.

 

What about Eleagnus and Pittosporum?