In a backyard, evergreen bushes are excellent for concealing objects, while in a front yard, they may be used to create ornamental garden elements. Evergreen shrubs offer a beautiful advantage to gardeners because they preserve their foliage all year.
Trimming certain kinds of evergreen bushes, such as boxwood and Japanese Spindle, to make traditional formal privacy hedges is feasible. Azaleas and laurustinus, for example, have a less formal appearance than other broad-leafed ornamental flowering bushes.
With their stunning hues and scents, these bushes can brighten up your yard. There is a kind of evergreen shrub that will suit your needs whatever sort of yard you have.
The Best Evergreen Shrubs
Some of the best evergreen shrubs for your front or backyard are:
- Boxwood—These shrubs grow to medium size and feature little oval glossy evergreen leaves in a setting of brilliant landscaping.
- Mahonia—Gorgeous evergreen flowering plants that thrive in full sun or shade and offer amazing flowers every year.
- Cherry laurel—Evergreen cherry laurel bushes have a strong upright and fast growing growth habit, making them ideal for flowering hedges or specimen bushes.
- Anglo-Japanese yew—Ideal for low- or medium-height natural hedges or as an ornamental front yard bush, this evergreen perennial shrub boasts thick foliage.
- Azaleas—They are fantastic shrubs for a garden landscape because of their evergreen flowering branches with lovely leaves and round growing pattern.
- Dwarf Norway spruce—This tiny evergreen shrub has a low-spreading growth habit and is ideal as a specimen plant because to its small size.
- Laurustinus – Great for the front or back yard, this ornamental evergreen bush.
- Firethorn shrubs – Thorny evergreen plants create a great privacy barrier, with thick foliage and spiky stems.
- Oregon Grape – A decorative shrub with blue berries.
To boost the curb appeal or as a decorative feature in your yard, plant evergreen bushes in front of the house. What distinguishes a shrub from a tiny tree? While trees have a single stem, shrubs typically have numerous woody stems that rise from the ground. Shrubs are often small- to medium-sized bushy perennial plants, despite the fact that certain tree species are short.
Evergreen Shrubs for Your Garden (With Pictures and Names) – Identification Guide
Evergreen shrubs may be used in a garden landscape in a variety of ways. Densely leafed shrubs may be styled into attractive forms or formal boxed hedgerows. Additionally, strategically placing several shrubs in your front yard can improve its aesthetic appeal.
For creating an informal garden at your house, choose large-leaved shrubs. The bushes listed below aren’t just for privacy hedges; they’re also evergreen. For a landscaped front yard, several conifers and broad-leafed shrubs are fantastic single specimen plants. In this list of evergreen shrub photos, you’ll be able to choose which plants are best for your garden landscape.
Boxwood (Buxus) Evergreen Shrubs
Due to their soft, dense dark-green leaves that last all winter, boxwood shrubs are a favorite low-maintenance evergreen landscaping plant. A specimen bush or a short hedge plant may be used to shape most boxwood types. The tough boxwood bushes may endure some drought and thrive in full sun to partial shade.
Privacy screens in backyards and shaped green bushes in front yards are two common applications for boxwood hedges. Compact mounding shrubs include boxwood cultivars like ‘Green Velvet,’ ‘Blauer Heinz,’ and ‘Wintergreen.’ Upright, columnar development with glossy green leaves characterizes Buxus cultivars like the ‘Dee Runk’ and ‘Graham Blandy.’
Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) Shrubs for Hedging
Cottage Laurel is a decorative white blossoming shrub with crimson berries that may be employed to decorate your front yard. The glossy broad lance-shaped leaves of the evergreen blossoming Cherry laurel create a thick, dense appearance. Cherry laurel shrubs are versatile front or back yard shrubs because of their attractive leaves. In the fall, bright red berries appear on the low-maintenance Cherry laurel bush, which also produces a profusion of plum-scented white flower clusters.
These evergreen shrubs are perfect for any garden landscape because of their lustrous green leaves, lovely flower clusters, and red fruits. In full sun or partial shade, grow flowering cherry laurel shrubs. Hardy shrubs need average watering and are low-maintenance.
Japanese Andromeda (Pieris Japonica) – Evergreen Flowering Shrub
Due to its stunning pink or red foliage, the pink-red young leaves of Japanese Andromeda turn green when they mature. As creamy-white pendulous flowers appear, the pinkish ovate leaves gradually darken to green. In spring and summer gardens, Pieris species shrubs provide a lot of color.
Medium-sized privacy hedges appreciate Japanese andromeda shrubs, which stay green all year. In front yards, you can also grow the bushes as shrub borders or foundation plants.
Mahonia Evergreen Shrubs
Mahonia japonica shrub, winter foliage in gorgeous reddish-purple color. The broad-leaf, evergreen foliage provides wind and noise protection in your garden. Mahonia is an evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves and clusters of brilliant flowers that are attractive all year.
These medium-sized ornamental bushes, with spiky leaves that resemble holly bushes, are suitable for partial to full shade. It is drought tolerant and deer resistant, which makes it valuable. Its harsh leaves deterring intruders as a privacy hedge.
Excellent Mahonia landscaping shrubs may include the following:
- Japanese Mahonia (Mahonia japonica)—Large, leathery leaves with jagged edges adorn this decorative shrub. Yellow blooms emerge in clusters and emit a fragrance similar to lily-of-the-valley. The green foliage becomes red or purple in the winter.
- Mahonia x media ‘Buckland’—With broad leaves made up of smaller leaflets, this tall upright evergreen shrub is upright. In the winter, Sweetly-scented yellow blooms bloom, turning purple in the summer and autumn.
- Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei)—This huge winter-flowering evergreen shrub has leathery, blue-green leaves and is a shade-loving plant. Late in the spring, clusters of grape-like berries appear.
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) – Evergreen Shrub With Blue Fruits
In the early spring, this species of Mahonia produces yellow blooms, which are followed by blue berries in the summer. In the spring, its leathery, holly-like leaves turn red, then green throughout the summer before becoming dark crimson in the autumn.
For creating shady borders, use the little decorative evergreen plant. The clusters of blue berries that resemble bunches of grapes are what give this plant its common name.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrub
Rosemary is a simple evergreen shrub that blooms purple-blue flowers and has a fragrant, fresh scent. It thrives in full sun. The aromatic needle-like leaves of the low-maintenance shrub are used in cooking. Rosemary may be an informal hedge, border plant, or container plant when grown as a tiny shrub. In well-draining soil, grow in full sun.
Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus) – Flowering Evergreen Shrub
Several Viburnum species are medium to tall flowering shrubs with glossy, dark green leaves and thick evergreen foliage that are ideal for planting in the front or backyard. The masses of flower clusters and vivid blue or pink fruit are both distinctive features of laurustinus.
These low-maintenance evergreen shrubs are ideal for hedges or mixed shrub borders because of their rounded growth habit. Laurustinus shrubs only need occasional pruning to stay in shape, and that’s it. This informal hedge may grow up to 8 feet (2.1 meters) tall, necessitating yearly trimming depending on the cultivar.
Anglo-Japanese Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’)
Because of its dense upright growth, green needle leaves, and columnar form that may be pruned to a rounded polyform, yew ‘Hicksii’ is a popular front yard evergreen shrub. Because they may be trimmed into box-shaped formal hedges, yew bushes are popular hedging plants.
Topiary—making shapes out of bushes—is also popular with these elegant landscaping shrubs. The shrub cultivar of a bigger tree is the ‘Hicksii.’ The tough plant can tolerate drought, full sun, or complete shade and needs little upkeep.
Holly (Ilex)
Among the cultivars of evergreen holly bushes are variegated leaves, spikey leaves, and red berries. It’s simple to look after hollies, and they’re simple to trim into a modest-sized decorative hedge for privacy. For your yard, consider the following examples of evergreen holly:
- Hedgehog holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘Ferox Argentea’)—This huge shrub has a displayy appearance to brighten up a winter garden thanks to its bright yellow and dark green variegated jaggy leaves.
- Ilex ‘Red Beauty’—In winter, this evergreen shrub with dark-green spiny leaves and crimson berries has a stunning appearance. Hedges, shrub borders, or as a specimen plant, ideal for privacy and security.
- Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’—This upright, thin growth, like that of a pencil, is what this evergreen shrub’s name implies. This is a one-of-a-kind holly with tiny delicate dark green leaves and a columnar form. Planting along a fence, as a foundation or accent plant, or adding a green vertical accent to a front yard is perfect for the ‘Sky Pencil Holly.
False holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus)
False holly is a tough holly that has dark green or variegated foliage (on the right). The name of the easy-care shrub comes from the leaf form, which resembles holly plants. The plant produces white aromatic blooms in the winter and blue-black fruit fruits in summer. This drought-tolerant hardy shrub thrives in full sun or partial shade.
Japanese Spindle (Euonymus japonicus)
One of the best evergreen bushes for formal hedges is the Japanese Spindle, which has thick dense foliage. The bush has a compact, neat appearance due to its small elongated oval leaves, and it responds well to pruning to form a formal short hedge.
In the spring, the bushy shrub blooms and grows to be about 3 feet (1 meter) tall. For your formal landscape, here are some additional Euonymus cultivars to consider:
- Euonymus kiautschovicus ‘Manhattan’—This giant shrub has broad evergreen leaves and reaches 10 feet (3 meters) in height.
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’—The variegated green and yellow leaves of this small shrub are rounded. In informal gardens, this is a great option for hedging, screens, border shrubs, and shrubbery.
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Goldy’—This bright yellow shrub has a low-spreading growth and is also known as Wintercreeper. To add year-round color to your front or rear yard, grow along garden borders.
- Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’—This variety has white edging and patterns on its dark green leaves, making it a variegated shrub.
Japanese Aralia (Fatsia japonica)
The Japanese Aralia has wonderfully huge glossy leaves with conspicuous lobes and yellow veins, making it one of the greatest evergreen blooming bushes for shade. The glossy-leaf paper plant is its other popular name.
The decorative Japanese Arlia plant grows to be 10 feet (3 meters) tall in shaded areas. This blooming landscape shrub isn’t especially good as a hedge, but it makes an excellent specimen bush. Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’ has white flowers and brilliant white and green variegated leaves.
Mountain pine (Pinus mugo ‘Gnom’ and ‘Allgau’)
A evergreen pine shrub known as Pinus mugo has several cultivars. It’s one of the best dwarf evergreen trees for your garden, as seen in these photographs: Pinus mugo ‘Gnom’ (left) and ‘Allgau’ (right). This dwarf pine shrub-like tree has thick foliage made up of jade-green needle leaves and is evergreen in nature.
This little evergreen shrub thrives in a globular form and is perfect for tiny yards. This decorative plant may be cultivated in a pot or along formal edges. This pine reaches a height of 2 feet (0.6 meters) and a width of 3 feet (1 meters).
Flowering Evergreen Azalea Shrubs
If you want an evergreen shrub for your front yard that creates a gorgeous flower display, pick an azalea species. The blooms of azaleas are pink, purple, blue, and white, with huge broad green leaves. In backyards, Grow azalea bushes as informal blossom hedges or privacy screens. Evergreen azalea shrubs are listed below:
- Rhododendron ‘April Rose’—Purple-red blooms up to 2″ (5 cm) wide are produced by this plant.
- Rhododendron ‘Dora Amateis’—On this evergreen shrub, gather clusters of white flowers.
- Rhododendron ‘Blue Tit’—With stunning clusters of blue flowers, this dense evergreen flowering shrub is a sight to behold.
- Rhododendron ‘Hino Crimson’—A cluster of ball-shaped red blooms adorns this compact, spreading evergreen shrub.
Juniper ‘Blue Star’ (Juniperus squamata)
Juniper ‘Blue Star’ is a little-growing, hardy evergreen shrub with gorgeous silvery-blue leaves that turns deep purple in the winter. Since it develops into a naturally spherical globe form with thick, compact leaves, the dwarf juniper is an ideal evergreen shrub for front yard landscaping.
In rock gardens or tiny yards where space is tight, this low-spreading shrub shines. This tiny shrub has a slow growth rate and requires no maintenance.
Chinese Juniper ‘Mathot’ (Juniperus x pfitzeriana)
For front yard landscaping and foundation plantings, choose Chinese Juniper ‘Mathot,’ a tiny size juniper shrub. The soft, feathery evergreen leaves of this little evergreen shrub, a juniper species, help it maintain its color all year. Minty-green conifer needles on the evergreen Chinese juniper shrub shift to a deeper green in the winter.
This lovely bushy plant is a low-maintenance shrub, like other evergreen conifer shrubs. To enhance curb appeal, this juniper is used as a popular front yard foundation shrub. It has fountain-like growth as a specimen plant, or you can cut it down to make a low ornamental hedge.
Firethorn (Pyracantha) – Evergreen Thorny Shrub
Due to its evergreen leaves, decorative red berries, and prickly stems, firethorn is a prickly shrub that may be used to create a stunning thorny hedge. Small, oval, or lance-shaped leaves sprout from the thorny stems. Firethorn bushes’ lovely white spring blossoms are a popular attraction.
After the flowers on these bushes fade, clusters of bright red or orange berries emerge. Because of their spiky stems, firethorn bushes make superb security barriers. For keeping out noise, wind, and nosy neighbors, they also build dense privacy hedges.
Evergreen Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis indica)
Indian Hawthorn is a pink or white blooming evergreen shrub. Indian hawthorn is a decorative shrub with pink or white flower clusters that blooms throughout the year. This photo depicts Rhaphiolepis indica cv. ‘Ballerina.’
The deep-green leaves have a glossy finish and are oval or oblong in shape. Throughout the year, the shrub’s evergreen leaves are stunning. The plants make a living privacy screen when put together, or they may be used as a foundation plant in a front yard.
Dwarf Norway Spruce (Picea abies ‘Pumila’)
The dwarf Norway spruce is a superb low maintenance front yard foundation plant that grows into a little mound of thick evergreen foliage that may endure sun, shade, and partial shade. The bright green needles are held throughout the year and stay unchanged in hue.
This plant may be used as a ground cover plant because of its low spreading habits. In a sunny garden, you can also grow it as a specimen plant and create a border. The slow-growing circular-shaped plant, on the other hand, grows just about 5 inches (12 cm) each year.
Winter Daphne (Daphne Odora)
Winter daphne is an excellent winter-blooming evergreen shrub that may brighten up a yard. Its pinkish-white blooms bloom in the winter. The evergreen blooms in winter, hence the common name winter daphne. In the mid- to late-winter, this shrub is adorned with large glossy leaves and spectacular globeular flowerheads.
The bush develops crimson fruits after blooming, which contrasts with the shiny green foliage. The decorative winter daphne shrub is dangerous to animals and people, so be careful with it. Explore the world’s most remarkable dwarf evergreen plants.
Photinia ‘Red Robin’ (Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’)
In the spring, grow Photinia ‘Red Robin’ evergreen bushes for their lovely crimson leaves. Because it provides year-round protection, the evergreen shrub is an excellent hedge for front or rear yards. In the spring, gorgeous crimson leaves turn dark green over time. Full sun and partial shade are suitable conditions for growth.