It's Time to Choose New Favorite Evergreen Trees AND Shrubs!

What are you noticing most in your landscape right now? Perhaps spots that are bare and uninteresting? In a developing landscape, this time of year naturally brings with it dreams of what could be. While our winters here in the Charleston are short, we must endure a span of time when branches are bare and blooms are less abundant. The good news? This is a fantastic time to see opportunities, plan, and plant for year-round appeal!

Winter is also the perfect time to choose new evergreen trees and shrubs at our Garden Center. The varieties available right now are too numerous to list, but we've put together a quick list of selections for inspiration while the rest of the landscape sleeps.

Evergreen Selections for Lowcountry Landscapes

Our Nursery Professionals are here to assist you, so feel free to bring in photos of your landscape. It is helpful if you have dimensions of beds or the space you'd like to create, information about sun exposure, deer pressure, and/or soil difficulties such as moisture.

​Pieris Mt. Snow
This compact, evergreen shrub is an excellent choice for year-round interest. Pieris Mountain Snow™ sports white buds summer through fall, before opening with clusters of beautiful ivory white flowers in late winter.  They can handle both the heat of a Charleston summer and  can take temperatures as low as -30 degrees. Can be planted directly in the landscape or in containers. Matures to 3-4' high x 2-3' wide. Prefers part shade to shade.

Camellia japonica
If you've seen large, colorful blooms on a stately shrub here in Charleston since the New Year began, there's a good chance you've come across a Camellia japonica. Right now while they're blooming is an excellent time to choose your favorite flower colors and forms. Mature size depends on variety, although most tend to grow upright and can be maintained easily at a height of 6-12'. These shrubs prefer protection from harsh afternoon sun.

Southern Magnolia
Gorgeous and grand, Southern Magnolia trees offer handsome foliage throughout the year and bright, white fragrant blooms spring through fall. Fortunately, these native trees are not preferred by deer, are salt-tolerant, and tolerate moist soils - an ideal blend of characteristics for Lowcountry landscapes! Mature size depends on variety. Part to full sun.

Leucothoe
Evergreen Burning Love™ is a petite Leucothoe shrub that offers color and texture that lasts all year!  This variety spices up the shade with deep red growth in spring that ages to green, followed by dark purple fall color. Matures to 2 1/2' tall and wide. Deer non-preferred. Prefers part sun to shade.

Yaupon Holly
From the compact, dwarf varieties to the upright shrubs or weeping tree forms, native Yaupon hollies are a must-have in the coastal landscape. Not only do they have a high salt tolerance, but they tolerate wet feet and are deer non-preferred. Dwarf forms of this shrub make excellent foundation plants. Larger growing shrubs and trees provide berries for wildlife in winter and add ornamental appeal to the landscape as specimen plantings. Mature size depends on variety. Adaptable to sun or shade.

​Tea Olive
It's hard to believe how much sweet fragrance comes from the tiny flower clusters of our Tea Olive shrubs. Blooms arise for weeks in spring and again in fall (and sporadically in summer and winter) when the days are warm and nights are cool. These versatile evergreens easily lend themselves to use as hedges, privacy screens, or specimen plantings. Trust us, every landscape needs at least one of these shrubs! Deer non-preferred. Part sun to shade.

​Anise
One of the newest additions to our offering of Anise shrubs is Star Flower Orion. White blooms arise on this compact variety in spring, summer, and fall. Like other Anise, Star Flower Orion is a problem solver in the landscape, tolerating such adverse conditions as moist or dry shade, pest and disease, and the presence of deer. Matures to 3-5' tall and 4-6' wide, easily shaped with pruning. Prefers part to full shade. 

Distylium
Another great boxwood alternative that offers a unique, feathery, and mounding growth habit is Vintage Jade Distylium. This shrub is highly adaptable to a variety of soil types, drought tolerant once established, resistant to pests, and is deer non-preferred. 3-4' tall and 4-5' wide. Part to full sun.

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FOR PLANTING SUCCESS:

We highly recommend amending the soil in your planting area with a Brownswood Premium Planting Mix as well as a starter fertilizer such as Espoma Organic Bio-tone® Starter Plus to give your new plants their best start. You can find our Planting Guide at the link below. It provides planting instructions and helpful information about watering and getting new plants established. We look forward to seeing you at the Garden Center!

Download Our Planting Guide

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READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR YARD?

​Our Landscape Design and Installation teams are here to serve you! We would be pleased to develop a comprehensive Landscape Plan to assist you in reaching your landscape goals.

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