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Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Germander, Hosta, and similar plants offer excellent textural contrast to Boxwoods. Choosing low-growing shrubs with lighter foliage colors is also a good option. It is a plus if those shrubs also grow colorful blooms and berries, all the more garden fun.
What do you plant in front of boxwoods?
Companion Planting and Design Boxwood creates a green backdrop for colorful perennial flowers, such as salvia, black-eyed Susan and veronica, and annual flowers, such as zinnias, cosmos and cleome. Mix and match flowering shrubs, such as potentilla and dwarf spirea, with boxwoods.
How far apart should boxwoods be planted?
Place the plants 2 feet apart. Those dwarf varieties that should be 2 to 3 feet apart for a grouping or row of individual plants should be squeezed to more like 15 or 18 inches apart for a low hedge. Use a tape measure and string or spray paint to mark the line of your hedge.
Can you put rocks around boxwoods?
Some garden mulches pose hazards to boxwoods. Additionally, gravel, stone chips and sawdust may change the soil’s pH levels, which could be unhealthy for boxwoods unless you also use soil amendments that counter these pH changes.
How do you organize boxwoods?
Center a single boxwood on the corner of a bed or arrange a trio of boxwoods with staggered heights in a tight grouping. Softening corners can be particularly useful in small gardens or tight intersections where you might be tempted to clip a corner moving from one space to the next.
What looks nice with boxwoods?
Good companion plants with textural contract include thyme, hosta, lady’s mantle, lirope, germander, rosemary or sage. Combine boxwood with low-growing shrubs with yellow or dark-colored foliage. This will add both color and texture. If the shrubs flower or produce berries, that creates even more interest.
Do boxwoods need full sun?
The boxwood can be grown as a standalone plant, in groups or as a hedge. Furthermore, the boxwood has been used in containers, topiaries and for bonsai purposes. They can thrive in light shade as well as full sun. Very low maintenance, the boxwood is prized for its foliage, which is best pruned in the winter months.
Can you plant boxwood too close together?
Shrubs planted around a house are called foundation shrubs because they mask the foundation and soften the transition from the soil to the structure. Placing boxwood shrubs too close to your home can damage its structure and compromise the shrubs’ health. Also, don’t plant the shrubs near downspouts.
Do boxwoods do well in clay soil?
Boxwoods are not incredibly picky about soil type, but they do need decent drainage to grow well. Some inland areas have compacted clay soils, and compost can help improve the texture of these soils.
Should boxwoods be covered in winter?
It is best to prepare boxwood for winter with a nice layer of mulch, making sure the crown of the plant is not planted or covered too deeply. Moderate winter snowfall can also insulate the plant through the winter. Very large or heavy snowfall should be removed from the plant to not cause breakage or other damage.
Do boxwoods need mulch?
Information on Boxwood Care Properly mulching the shallow-rooted boxwood helps retain moisture and keep roots cool. Growing boxwoods should have a 2 to 3 inch (5-8 cm.) layer of mulch extending 12 inches (31 cm.) past the foliage.
What kind of mulch is best for boxwoods?
Boxwoods are shallow rooted and grow poorly in hot, dry soils. To maintain vigorous plants, homeowners should add 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch over the soil surface. Suitable materials for mulching are pine needles, bark mulch, or wood chips.
How do you plant boxwood hedge walls?
Instructions Mark the Hedgerow Line Extend a tape measure along the ground in the desired location for the boxwood hedge. Remove the Sod. Using a shovel, form a shallow trench around 2 feet wide below the guide string. Measure the Root Ball. Dig the Holes. Tease the Roots. Plant the Shrubs. Mulch the Plants.
Are boxwoods out of style?
Boxwood shrubs “Curb appeal trends that are fading include anything that’s got high maintenance. Box hedges are pretty up there on that list—you have to shape them and make sure they’re just right,” says Emch. Ready to nix those shrubs in favor of a more simplistic garden?Sep 13, 2020.
What do you do with boxwoods?
How to Care for Boxwood Provide Adequate Drainage. Boxwood plants tolerate a variety of soils, whether acidic or alkaline, rich or infertile. Protect Boxwood Roots. Prune Boxwood by Thinning. Winter Protection for Boxwood. Water Boxwood Wisely. Fertilize Boxwood as Needed.
What can you plant between box balls?
Alternatives to box for topiary and low clipped hedging Yew – the number one alternative to box. Pittosporum. Euonymus. Viburnum tinus (rounded shapes only) Privet (but it’s fast growing so needs clipping regularly) Holly, including Ilex crenata (with warnings…).
What can I plant in a box hedge?
Or there are annuals such as snapdragons, French marigolds, cosmos, tobacco plants or nemesias. Herbs also look good – oregano, marjoram, fennel, bergamot, yarrow and feverfew have a delightfully disheveled habit that contrasts well against the clean-cut box.
Can boxwood be kept small?
They can be kept short and are easily kept from overgrowing onto the walkway. When planting boxwoods along a walkway divide the mature width in half and plant the shrub that far from the edge of the walkway. Most smaller varieties can be kept as small as one foot to 2 feet wide.
