Add year-round color to your outdoor space or instantly change the appearance of an present layout by planting dwarf evergreen shrubs in containers. Container gardens offer flexibility and a chance to add drama to any outdoor space, even just a small one. Evergreen shrubs grow in several types, such as round, mounding, pyramidal or erect. Choose plants that fit your layout based on growth habit, type of foliage and foliage colour.
Dwarf Needled Evergreens
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, dwarf needled conifers tend to keep their shaping without requiring much pruning. Several options are available, such as “Little Giant” dwarf arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis “Little Giant”), a globe-shaped shrub that gradually grows to maximum heights of 4 feet. It rises in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, containing medium green foliage. An alternative is dwarf globe blue spruce (Picea pungens “Globosa”), together with its vibrant blue needles which become more brightly coloured during summer months. It is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 through 8, reaching heights of 3 to 5 feet.
Dwarf Broadleaf Evergreens
The more pronounced leaves of broadleaf evergreens offer a totally different texture to the outdoor space. Several dwarf broadleaf evergreens are well-suited to growing in containers, such as “Green Gem” boxwood (Buxus “Green Gem”). With its yellow-green foliage, “Green Gem” offers a bright pop of color. It rises 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall with a similar spread in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 and thrives in areas with complete sun to partial shade. An alternative is dwarf English laurel (Prunus laurocerasus “Nana”), hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. This slow-growing shrub features dark, shiny green leaves and fragrant white spring flowers. If left unpruned, dwarf English laurel can grow around 6 to 8 ft tall.
Choosing the ideal Container
Container choice is essential to successfully expanding your plants. Dwarf evergreens may be grown in concrete, brick, terracotta or wood containers. The container’s material isn’t anywhere near as important as ensuring that the container offers enough space for the roots to spread out. A good rule of thumb is to pick a container that’s two to three times broader than the diameter of the plant’s root ball. Another important element is that the soil mix. Missouri Botanical Garden recommends having a soil-less potting mixture that’s especially formulated for container plants. These mixtures are lighter and offer better drainage and air space than garden soil.
Winter Considerations
Although growing evergreens in containers offers gardeners a lot of flexibility, in addition, it poses its own set of possible problems. By way of instance, container-grown plants are more vulnerable to root damage or death brought on by fluctuating temperatures during freeze-and-thaw periods. Some solutions include digging a hole to sink smaller containers in the ground or adding mulch on top of the potting soil in bigger containers, piling it as high as the rim of the pot to help stabilize soil temperatures. Other winter considerations include making sure that the evergreen gets some sunlight, but not overly much. Missouri Botanical Garden recommends placing container-grown evergreens in partial sunlight during winter months to keep the soil moist and decrease the temperature changes which could happen when plants are heated in all-day sunlight and freezing nighttime temperatures.