Evergreen plants in the garden: structure and color

From dense privacy screens to elegant ground cover to colorful accents, there are plants to suit every size and style of garden. Find out which evergreen plants will add vibrancy to your garden all year round!

1. Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

With its large, dark green leaves and dense growth habit, cherry laurel is a perfect hedge plant. It grows quickly and can easily reach a height of 2 to 4 meters, providing excellent privacy protection. Thanks to its cutting tolerance, it is easily shaped and fits perfectly into classic or modern gardens. Even as a solitary plant in spacious rooms, the cherry laurel impresses with its abundance and robustness. Portuguese cherry laurel is slightly paler, has narrower leaves and a slightly narrower growth habit.

2. Thuja Smaragd (Thuja Occidentalis 'Smaragd')

The Thuja Smaragd impresses with its slim, upright growth and its intense green which remains all year round. It grows moderately fast (about 20-30cm per year) and reaches heights of up to 4 metres, making it ideal for narrow but tall hedges for privacy. Its elegant shape fits perfectly into formal and modern gardens, and its narrow growth makes it ideal for smaller properties.

• Special feature: Slim, uniform shape and tight privacy protection up to 3-4 m high.

• Treatment: Light watering, occasional when it is dry.

• Ideal for: Narrow gardens, modern or formal hedges, narrow hedges and rows.
• It fits well: Roses, spherical boxwood bushes

3. Creeping spindle (Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald’n Gold')

The climbing spindle is a true oasis of color in winter, with its green-yellow leaves that shine even in the cold season. This plant grows slowly and stays low, making it ideal as a ground cover or low border. In small gardens or front gardens, the spindle creeper often finds space in rock gardens and flower beds.

• Special feature: Compact, dense growth and colorful foliage in winter.
• Treatment: Very easy to care for, requires little water and tolerates shade.
• Ideal for: Small gardens, rock gardens, flower beds, front gardens and colorful accents.
• It fits well: hosta, heather

4. Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)

Winter jasmine develops its light yellow flowers in winter and is therefore a bright pop of color in the cold season. This plant grows moderately fast and remains compact, but reaches a height of about 1-2 meters when supported on a trellis. Thanks to its slow growth and winter flowering, it adapts particularly well to natural and romantic gardens, but also does well in small gardens.

• Special feature: Blooms yellow in winter and provides bright color accents.

• Treatment: Very undemanding, sporadic watering and light spring pruning.

• Ideal for: Small and medium-sized gardens, as a ground cover, border or climbing plant.
• Goes well with: Ornamental grasses, blue cushion phlox

5. Bamboo

Bamboo adds an exotic touch to any garden and is available in different heights. Fast varieties grow up to 50cm per year and reach heights of 2 to 4 meters or more, making them ideal for natural privacy hedges. The smaller varieties are also suitable for pots and provide privacy in yards. Bamboo fits perfectly into natural or Asian-inspired garden styles and can also visually enhance smaller areas and terraces.

• Special feature: Exotic appearance, high growth rate and flexible use as a privacy screen.

• Treatment: Likes moist soil and needs regular water, but overall is easy to care for.

• Ideal for: Asian and natural gardens, pots for terraces and balconies.
• It fits well: Japanese maple, ferns, hosta.

6. Rote Glanzmispel (Photinia phraseri 'Red Robin')

The medlar is particularly appreciated in spring for its showy red shoots and can grow up to 3 m in height. It is perfect as a hedge plant, but also as a solitary plant and adapts well to modern and natural gardens. The medlar grows medium to fast and provides beautiful color accents in the garden all year round.

7. Yes

The yew is a classic hedge plant that impresses with its dark, dense needles and slow growth. It can be cut to size and grows up to 3m tall, providing reliable and elegant privacy protection. In modern, formal garden styles, yew is often used as a hedge or as a low border for flower beds and paths. But it is poisonous to humans and animals.

• Special feature: Evergreen, dense needlework, very long lasting and cut tolerant.
• Treatment: Undemanding and robust, it requires almost no water or care.
• Ideal for: Gardens both small and large, formal and modern hedges and borders.
• It fits well: roses, lavender, sedum.

8. Small periwinkle (Vinca minor)

The little periwinkle is a classic low-growing plant for shade areas. With its dense, evergreen leaves and blue flowers in spring, it brings low-level color and texture. It grows slowly and is ideal as an easy-care ground cover that works well even in small areas such as flower beds or shade gardens.

• Special feature: Dense, green carpet all year round, blooms in soft blue, white or purple colors in spring.

• Treatment: Undemanding and drought resistant; ideal for shady places.
• Ideal for: Small gardens, shaded flowerbeds, ground cover and decorative borders.
• It fits well: fern, astilbe, lungwort

7. Cotoneaster radicans (Cotoneaster dammeri radicans)

The Radicans medlar is an all-round ground cover which also sets accents in winter with its evergreen leaves and red berries. With its dense, flat growth, it covers large areas and is suitable for small and large gardens. It provides food for many animals in the winter and adds vibrancy to rock gardens, flower beds and border plants.

8. Fairy Flower (Epimedium perralchicum 'Frohnleiten')

The evergreen elven flower is particularly popular in shady gardens and blooms delicate yellow in spring. With its dense foliage that remains green even in winter, it is ideal as a ground cover under trees or bushes. Growing no taller than 30cm, it is ideal for smaller gardens and shaded beds where structure and color are required.

• Special feature: Evergreen foliage and delicate flowers in spring.

• Treatment: Very easy to care for and drought resistant, perfect for shady places.

• Ideal for: Small gardens, shaded areas and as dense ground cover under trees.
• It fits well: thrush, foxglove

Conclusion: Evergreen plants create a living structure in the garden year-round. Whether a hedge, a solitary hedge or the ground: the variety of shapes and colors offers the right greenery for every garden style and size.

We will be happy to advise you on choosing the right evergreen plant for your garden: contact us!

Happy gardening! 🙂