Top Tips from the Yard on caring for your evergreen containers
- Compost is key, be sure to use a high quality peat-free compost and add grit for improved drainage
- Water regularly, but avoid overwatering, as this can cause root rot and no one wants soggy roots.
- Place your evergreen pots in full sun or partial shade. This will be tricky to gauge when there's not much sun but full sun is a spot that receives 6+ hours of sun during the peak of Summer and partial shade 4-6 hours.
- Protect from extreme weather conditions by moving out of exposed windy spots and bringing undercover if you can during heavy snowfall and strong frosts
- Prune regularly throughout the growing season to maintain shape and encourage bushier growth
Tom's Yard Top of the Pops
We're sorry to all the other evergreens but there was a unanimous winner for the coveted top spot when it came to beautiful evergreens and that was the Camellia.
Not only are they beautiful but they're easy to grow and are perfect for containers, just make sure it is no smaller than 30cm wide and add some crocks to the bottom.
Camellia love acidic soil so be sure to use a peat free ericaceous compost when planting up or mix in some old coffee grounds into your peat free compost to create that acidic environment.
They don't like being cold so be sure to wrap the pot in hessian or bubble wrap over the Winter or move the shrub into a frost free environment.
Look out for camellia's in your local nurseries and garden centres or if you like to purchase online, take a look at The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, a family run centre in Wales who have a great selection available.
Photo by Mourizal Zativa on Unsplash
Other strong contenders for the evergreen top spot were Rosa 'Munstead Wood', a stunning deep crimson rose shrub with an old tea fragrance and a strong lemon zest punch.
Boxwood, an elegant and easy to maintain evergreen. Did you know these clever shrubs use the winter to go into dormancy and recharge ready to bounce back in Spring. They would look perfect in pairs adorning a pathway or entrance way.
Adding a pop of colour to your Winter garden with its vibrant foliage is the Heuchera (aka Coral bells) . A herbaceous evergreen perennial, the Heuchera is a rather hardy plant and can survive ok without winter protection however if you do live in a colder than average region, a little wrap around the pot would help the Heuchera keep its leaves.
We hope you're feeling inspired to plant some evergreen wonders in your pots and planters to enjoy over the cold season. Be sure to show us your evergreen creations by emailing your photos to sales@tomsyard.co.uk or tagging @toms_yard on social media.
Happy planting folks.
