Plant reviews are a great way to learn more about different plants and to find out if they are a good fit for your garden. When reading plant reviews, be sure to look for the following information whenever it's available:
The plant's name and botanical name. This will help you identify the plant and learn more about its origins.
The plant's description. This will give you a general overview of the plant's appearance, size, and growth habits.
The plant's care requirements. This will tell you how much water, sunlight, and fertilizer the plant needs.
The plant's pests and diseases. This will help you identify potential problems with the plant and how to prevent them.
The plant's benefits. This will tell you what the plant can do for your garden, such as provide food, attract pollinators, or provide shade.
The plant's drawbacks. This will tell you what the plant can't do, such as grow in certain climates or tolerate certain pests.
The plant's overall rating. This will give you a general idea of how well the plant is liked by other gardeners.
Plant reviews can be a great resource for finding the perfect plant for your garden. Be sure to read a variety of reviews before making a decision, and don't be afraid to ask questions of experienced gardeners.
Waxed Amaryllis
Q. I received a waxed amaryllis present for the holidays and wanted to add this to my greenhouse amaryllis collection. I removed the wax right away (not an easy task) and found a bare greenish white bulb underneath (without a brown papery bulb exterior). After roughing up the root base, I placed it in a vase of water where a few roots emerged. I got two blooms, but now I’d like to save the bulb for future displays. All indications are that this may not come back for me. Any ideas?
A. Trending this year are those brightly colored waxed amaryllis bulbs, which are self-sustaining and require minimal care, making them the perfect gift for anyone! No soil. No water. The waxed bulb contains all the nutrients needed to bloom. It can be placed ANYWHERE (with little sunlight required) and will stand directly on any flat surface or in a decorative container. At average room temperatures, it can be expected to bloom for about three weeks. This is billed as a single-use Amaryllis (disposable plant), and it will not bloom again in subsequent years—at least that’s their marketing angle—easy/peasy.
A waxed Amaryllis bulb is a bulb that has been embalmed and has received a death sentence. This amazing, viable, intelligent, complete living system, once smothered in wax, will die very soon and go to a landfill. In essence, this is dummydowned gardening, that probably works for some. However, your determination to save this beauty may pay off, as there are several YouTube videos (where else?) (Waxed Amaryllis Update & Aftercare! 🥰💚// Garden Answer) on how to preserve these. One in particular kept scolding the marketers of this product and felt sorry for the bulbs. Indeed, many “expert” gardeners scoff at waxed bulbs and even go so far as to call them wasteful, greedy, “One Hit Wonders”. However, it was discovered after some research and experience by others, that with a little care, a once wax-encased amaryllis bulb can be saved! The only difference in approaches was that others waited until after the blooms died back and you removed the wax right after you received it prior to blooming. It looked much easier to wait, as the wax had caved in (or the bulb shrank) and was easier to peel. If roots have appeared on your freed bulb, it is worth a try in soil.
One source asked if you can “rewax” a waxed Amaryllis bulb? That’s possible (check YouTube) and a challenge, but why would you want to? when you can store an unwaxed Amaryllis in the greenhouse or do a cold storage routine. If you find you don’t have the patience to save a waxed Amaryllis bulb, it can be composted and thus spared from landfills. As you’ve discovered, it’s a fun challenge to keep an Amaryllis going for years, even with a waxing!
Lyme Grass Q: I love anything blue, gold or burgundy in the landscape and a recent donation of Lyme Grass “Blue Dune” for an island plant sale was such a startling blue that a search for more was necessary before it went up for sale. Let’s just say colorful additions make the landscape pop, so this specimen was an eye-catcher. However, just wondering whether it will survive the island’s weather/soil conditions and critters? I’m thinking this is a tough plant, but will it laugh at windy, dry, and unpredictable weather? A: Well….it definitely is a tough-guy plant, as it is commonly found in sand dunes, and as for wind—that beachside stamina is an indicator of a bad-boy in an action movie. According to information found at Gardenista, “Lyme grass is the rare plant that can be described as “aggressive” and still be useful in a garden setting. Of course, you have to choose it to play a specific role in a thoughtful landscape design, and plant it in the right environment. If you’re not sure this vigorous semi-evergreen grass is right for your garden, control seems to be the key word. Formerly known as Elymus glaucus, lyme grass also has many other names including sea lyme grass, blue lyme grass, and sand wild rye. Native to northern Europe, this 2-to-3-foot-tall grass has incredibly beautiful steel-blue, arching foliage. In the summer, sturdy narrow blue-gray flower spikes shoot up.
Later in the season, they turn tawny. This cool-season grass produces year-round interest where it remains evergreen in zones 3-9. The foliage is great in floral arrangements and flowers attract butterflies. Don’t consider this a deer or rabbit buffet item either. The downside? This densely tufted clumping grass spreads aggressively by rhizomes and can be a total nuisance in the wrong setting. Keep this grass out of perennial beds and instead think of massing it in large full sun to part shade areas that need a ground cover, or in containers. So, the question remains, how do you use lyme grass smartly? Specific situations that may call for lyme grass include: erosion control, to stabilize sand dunes, or as a wide-spreading, fast-growing ground cover in sunny areas. (Of course, Leymus arenarius is also welcome in planters and container where its wily nature can be corralled.) Tip: This grass tends to be less pesky in dry, clay soils.
Lyme grass is salt, heat and very drought-tolerant and a bonus? The foliage can be mowed down to the ground in the fall.” Tough survivor. Island living is just what this little blue guy would love and if the price and site is right, it will keep your blues at bay, coupled with a chartreuse plant nearby.
Aucuba Q. Checking out the Lim Garden Tour, I discovered the garden’s fascination with aucubas as host to about 30 plus Aucuba Japonica species and cultivars. My treasured aucuba has a special history, as it was a start from a friend who passed. I thought it was well hidden from deer and had achieved some height, but it got discovered and nearly destroyed this spring. They’re such a pain in the grass. What can I do to ensure a comeback?
A. First, sorry that your aucuba was munched. This is definitely a shrub on the deer menu. But take heart...it may benefit from uprooting into a container away from the deer path, until it regains its splendor. Lim Garden’s blog discussed Aucuba Love, as follows: “For some, Aucubas fly under the radar as some generic background shrub, not worthy of attention or praise. They are there to do a job. And I do love the utility of Aucuba. Evergreen, hardy, they require so little but offer so much, growing in the darkest of dry shade to full sun in moderate climates without burning. As a foliage lover, Aucuba stood out to me immediately on my horticultural learning adventure.
Most gardens and nurseries will have a few varieties of cultivars, but digging a bit deeper revealed a long history of selective breeding in Japan, with cultivars varying greatly in size, shape, color, texture, berries, growth habit and so on. Some do play the background role of supporting feature trees and perennials, but others are definitely specimens in the making. The scarcity of some cultivars in the US is what makes collecting them appealing. I hope to take a trip to Raleigh next year to the JC Raulston Arboretum which seems to house the largest collection of Aucuba outside of Japan. I think perhaps their main fault is the pace of growth, which for many rare cultivars is fairly slow to really slow... Although many tend to take off once they're established after a few years. They're also not off the deer menu, unlike what virtually every source out there claims. There isn't a variety in my garden that hasn't been at least sampled if not clearcut by deer. The only consolation is that they will recover, eventually.” Patience and a lift out of the deer buffet line, will help ensure a strong and steady rehab journey. Be patient and vigilant.
Fatsia Japonica Q: An upcoming dig involves digging out around a fatsia japonica (glossy leaf paper plant or false castor plant) for some starts. How do we ensure that these produce more plants for our sale?
A: What a score! These tropical looking plants will survive in Zones 7b through 11, if properly situated in shady conditions. The architectural shape of Fatsia Japonica is renowned, as is the stunning evergreen foliage. These gleaming, hand-shaped leaves are smaller at the top and broader toward the bottom of the shrub, allowing them to absorb as much sunshine as possible, even in a dark location! And bonus—this time of year they produce white blooms. Another interesting fact for this plant is that it is a cross between Hedera helix and Fatshedera lizei. With their large leaves, they are an outstanding shrub that obviously has done well on Whidbey. When digging fatsia, try to get as many roots from those new shoots as possible. Those with roots can be sown directly into pots. Be careful not to overwater fatsias, as they are drought tolerant and can stand some neglect. Overwinter in protected spots (as these are tropicals) and if prolonged winter cold is on the horizon, store inside or cover well. If you get the chance to prune any of the mother plant, these can be propagated by water rooting or cut below a node right before a leaf sprouts out. Dip these cuttings into root hormone, put in a moist, soil-filled pot and cover with a plastic bag (humidity). And you’re in luck...these can be marketed as either an outdoor shrub or an indoor houseplant, reaching a height of six feet, if given enough humidity. Keep the cuttings in a warm, humid environment until new growth appears. Another little-known fact is that this plant can also be used as an aesthetic plant that serves as a formaldehyde absorber...in case you’re looking for additional advertising material to increase sales.
Calathea Ornata “Pinstripe” Q. While touring Martinique’s lush Balata Botanical Gardens, there were so many overwhelming tropical plants like bromeliads, croton, taro, palms, ferns, tradescantia, etc. that for us would only be considered houseplants. I was particularly struck by the Pinstripe Calathea, Calathea ornata (pictured) and wondered how to grow this beauty or is this a paradise lost kind of plant?
A. Well, just a reminder those tropical growing conditions that produce the beautiful large leaves are nowhere near what would happen as a houseplant in a pot. But take heart...according to www.gardeningknowhow.com, it is possible to care for this beauty in the home, just don’t expect those gigantic leaves and pay close attention to its needs. They describe the handsome pinstripe calathea houseplant as: “a striking member of the Maranta or prayer plant family. Their beautifully veined leaves make a striking statement. Like any Calathea, houseplant care can be tricky and extra effort is needed for them to look their best indoors. Calathea ornata likes bright, indirect light. Be careful to avoid too much direct sun; otherwise, the leaves can fade or even burn. This plant has adapted to grow in dimmer, humid environments that you witnessed first-hand, so choose a spot that is well lit, but with little to no direct sun. As far as soil goes for the pinstripe plant inside, choose a peat-based mix. A simple mixture would be two parts peat moss to one part perlite. Or you can use a pre-packaged African violet mix to keep it easy.
It is critical to meet soil moisture and humidity requirements for the indoor pinstripe plant to look its best. High humidity is important to keep the leaves in good condition. Increase humidity by setting the plant on top of moist pebbles or use a humidifier. As far as soil moisture goes, aim to keep it evenly moist. Calathea plants, in general, are not drought tolerant at all. You can allow the surface of the soil to dry out slightly, but don’t allow too much of the soil to dry out; otherwise, you might risk getting brown and crispy leaf edges. On the other hand, avoid keeping the soil very wet or sitting in water. If you do, you can risk root rot. You will notice that if the soil is kept too wet, the entire plant may start to wilt. Water quality is also important for the pinstripe plant. Poor water quality can cause the tips of the leaves to burn. Avoid using water that has gone through a water softener, as this is toxic to plants in general. These plants can also be sensitive to hard water or water that has too many additives. The best water to use is distilled water or rainwater. If you can’t obtain this, you can allow your tap water to sit out overnight at a minimum. Use a general houseplant fertilizer throughout the growing season. Avoid fertilizing in the winter when plant growth has slowed. Pinstripe plant likes warm temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees and minimum temperatures of about 60 degrees. Avoid cold drafts.” It's easy to see the love of anything in elegant pinstripes. So take heed of your marching orders for this handsome guy...now the challenge is to locate and keep those pinstripes in good shape.
ZZ Plant Q. It’s a miracle! My ZZ plant survived a year in a pot from sheer house gardener neglect. This was the pricey “it” plant in the house plant world last year and I was lucky to find it at a reasonable price at the Whidbey Is. Gardening Workshop vendor aisle. I was warned not to overwater, so I seem to have worked that out this year, as the neglectful parent. However, if ZZ plants hate being overwatered, should you only water them a little at a time?
A. The short answer is no. As you’ve discovered, ZZ plants make delightful houseplants, with glossy green leaves and interesting upright, curving stems, worthy of comments like “what is that plant?”. Often people check to see if it is fake, it looks so perfect. Zamioculcas Zamiifolia or the ZZ Plant (say Zee Zee) is a simple and straightforward houseplant that’s ideal for both new and experienced plant parents alike. Those with brown thumbs can easily keep this plant flourishing, if you pay attention to its needs, i.e., borderline neglect in the watering department. They are notoriously tolerant of neglect, but this doesn’t make them indestructible. Bright, indirect light, well-draining soil, and cautious watering will prevent most problems. According to Smart Garden Guide, “Every time you water your ZZ plant, you should do so thoroughly. It is good to saturate the entirety of the potting mix as this allows excess mineral salts to be washed through the potting mix, rather than building up, and ensures that the roots get adequate access to moisture at each watering. It helps to take your indoor plants to the kitchen sink to water them, adding enough water to the top of the pot so that water flows freely from the drainage holes at the bottom. An interesting thing about many potting soils is that they behave like sponges. Have you ever noticed that a dry sponge sometimes seems to repel water until it gets really wet? Soil can be much the same. For this reason, usually adding a bit of water first and letting the soil start to absorb it for a few seconds works well. Then add a bit more and take another break. Once you feel the soil is really starting to absorb the water, water freely, ensuring that the potting mix is saturated.” Don’t hold your breath for blooms anytime soon...flowers can emerge from the base of the plant, but only around the 10- year mark. Keep on with the neglect and you may see a flower down the road. Fingers crossed.
Clivia Nothing like a little patience. Many years ago, when a former member gave me a couple of clivia houseplant starts after a Board meeting. Waiting for a bloom became a never-ending obsession until I finally gave up and realized that the strappy leaves were valuable in their own right. They even produced other little clivias, but no flowers. Until now. To my utter amazement and just in time for Minnesota relatives to believe I was a terrific gardener, both set blooms. I never even knew what color they might be, but this salmon orange with the yellow centers just spelled out “sunshine, medicine and food for the soul” (Luther Burbank). Unsure whether I can claim that great gardener title; however, I am a firm believer now that “patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet”.
Carsten’s Wintergold Pinus Mugo Mugo Pine (w/winter color) Zone: 2 - 7 Height: 4’ x 4’ Ever since I purchased my ‘Chief Joesph’ pine that colors up gold in the colder months, I’ve been on the lookout for a sister plant w/this rare gold quality, so few plants possess. If the Winter ‘blues’ are calling you, this plant is sure to change your mind(set) and help you tackle that notion and brighten a sunny garden corner. You are sure to smile when viewing this happy plant - guaranteed!!
Description: Winter Gold is definitely one mugo you may not mind going to 3’ or 4’ tall and wide over its lifetime. Its tight and compact candles create a pincushion effect which are a nice medium/bright green for most of the year. Then the magic happens as colder weather and shorter days arrive. It transforms into a golden globe and stops viewers in their tracks, except for Deer and Rabbit which are unimpressed - which we love!!
Care Information: Provide rich, acidic, well-drained soil. Shelter from harsh winds when siting. Water well and regularly in first two growing seasons to establish a good root system. Avoid hardpan or overly clay soils as this friend needs good drainage for best health. As its parent plants have gained worldwide acceptance, these smaller more-rare hinoki’s also have great adaptability. Mix with perennials or use as a specimen. It would also anchor a monochrome garden as a conifer with some interesting foliage and texture.
Description: As an evergreen, medium, upright small tree of dense pyramidal growth, this unique Hinoki takes on a little more interest with its irregular branching and soft cream tipped foliage. It grows 6” per year reaching 3’ in its first five years or so and should top out around 6 ft. Having an irregular mounding shape and a bit of informality, it has the look and feel of our local cedar boughs. No surprise, it looks quite at home with a large cedar tree trunk nearby, but siting too close to such a large consumer of water would be a mistake.
Care Information: Moderate to regular water with a well-drained soil would be its preference and finding a bit of sun would help it color up for sure. Rule of thumb…more sun equals more water, especially for getting its deeper root structure started, so be prudent when choosing a spot. As a nice lacy evergreen specimen, it will act a lot like a smaller hinoki cypress and can fit into many garden settings - even a monochrome garden
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldstrum’ This plant actually won a plant of the year award from the Perennial Plant Association. The mounds of bright yellow daisy-like flowers bloom mid-summer through fall. It attracts butterflies, great for cut flowers, deer-resistant and not bothered by insects. Loves full sun, and it’s not picky about soil conditions.
Euonymus fortunei ’Emerald ‘n Gold’ This plant is noted for luminous, attractive foliage. It’s low-growing and forms a dense, bushy mat of glossy, dark green leaves edged with gold and tinged pink in fall and winter. Small greenish flowers bloom in early summer and attract butterflies. Can tolerate full sun to shade and like moist, well-drained soil.
Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ This is a very dense dwarf evergreen with short blue-gray foliage and a white line on top of the needles. In winter the foliage changes color to a purplish heather-blue. It’s a slow-growing groundcover that makes a great addition to a rock garden. Loves full sun.
Spider Plant Chlorophytum Indoor plant great for cleaning the air in the house! Easy-care--just feed and water it. They grow about 5’ or more. Put outside in summer bring in before 1st frost. A tropical, it loves half-shade and moisture. Has little white flowers. This came from a member’s larger hanging plant, but it hasn’t produced babies. It does well in part shade/part sun and indirect light indoors.
Clumping Bamboo - Fargesia Robustia Giant grass with woody stems divided into sections called internodes. Bamboos are not trees; they are giant grasses. Most clumping bamboo is slow growing. A member has had this bamboo for 30 years in pots. It’s light, airy and has fine small leaves. Bamboo is called the miracle plant because it does so much! As a renewable resource, it can be used for food, fabric, fences, building, antibacterial and so much more. Clumping Bamboo grows 3-4 in. across the roots. Running Bamboo grows 4-5’ a year. There are 1,000 species of bamboo. This one will grow 10-12 ft. tall. Our member trims hers to 4 feet, with 8 square pots in her front yard that are trimmed. Some Bamboo is quite expensive. She has about 5 varieties. Black bamboo is $90.00 for one small start. She uses bamboo to hide a neighbor’s shed, as it is about 10-12 ft. tall. The front Bamboo blends in their R.V. It is in pots so it can be moved around. Bamboo is a wonderful contrast to our big leaves and dark green colors. It is useful in centerpieces and flower arrangements. Don’t be afraid of it!
Sedum Pot This black pot was filled with trailing green sedum and hens and chicks from our past plant sale. It can stay outside all year and prefers full sun.
Hosta 'Neptune Hosta 'Neptune' is the 2023 Hosta of the Year. This unique blue Hosta is popular among collectors and makes a very nice specimen in the home garden. In spring, the narrow wedge-shaped leaves are bright glaucous blue, and they hold their color well. As the season progresses, they turn more blue-green. All you Hosta-heads out there, get ready to find this blue beauty.
VIVA MAGENTA PANTONE’S 2023 COLOR OF THE YEAR: Bold, lush, and fearless, Pantone’s Color of the year signifies a shift toward optimism and unbridled creativity. While the calming hues chosen for 2021 and 2022 reflected the pandemic mood, Viva Magenta 18-750 is all about vim and vigor, capturing what The Pantone Color Institute believes will be the zeitgeist of the new year. This shade is anything but shy. It’s an animated, saturated pinkish-red that projects strength, joy, and celebration, “encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint.” Seems like this vibrant color captures those from the Web Space Telescope photos that revealed the birth of a star.
Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’ And finally, not to be outdone in the plant winner announcements, the title for 2023 Perennial Plant Association pick of the Year belongs to Rudbeckia ‘American Gold Rush’. American Gold Rush’ is a stunning addition to gardens. At the height of summer, it turns up the volume for a long season of dazzling color right up to autumnal frosts. The bright golden-yellow flowers feature arching rays and a reddish halo surrounding dark chocolate cones. Three-inch flowers blanket the small plant, which is only 22-27 in. tall with a broader width to 40 in. if given room.
The green leaves and stems are covered in hairs, which gives them a silvery cast—on sunny days, peeking through the blooms to the leaves is a luminous silver-and-gold treat. More than just boosting the ornamental show, the hairy foliage is resistant to Septoria leaf spot—a debilitating fungal disease that causes unsightly black spotting and premature seasonal decline on some Black-eyed Susans. ‘American Gold Rush’ is a reliable hardy perennial and a great substitute for popular, brassier ‘Goldsturm’, which is highly susceptible to leaf spotting.
BOG ROSEMARY ‘BLUE ICE’ (Andromeda polifolia) Thoughts of ice might send chills through your veins, but this small patch of ice is a great pick for the landscape. The blue is found in the needle- like foliage, that nicely offsets the shell-pink flowers on this dainty shrub. Warning: This is not an edible “rosemary”, and just like ice, it is dangerously toxic.
BURGUNDY HELLEBORE (Helleborus x hybridus) Next up for an early riser is the much anticipated harbinger of spring—the hellebore. This deep burgundy color is bound to be an eye-catcher. These never fail to add impact; however, another warning....these are poisonous, so do not eat any part of these plants and the sap can tend to cause rashes. Wear gloves on this one. Shady spot? This is perfect as a ground cover under deciduous trees or shrubs.
‘TRUE PASSION’ HYBRID TEA SHRUB ROSE And in the “we can dream” category, this bare-root, adventurous True Passion Rose (Rosa 'True Passion' PP #28,928) is a solid winner for rose lovers to include in their sun-soaked landscapes. Each beautiful bloom brings 30 petals drenched in a hot, spicy mix of true red and in-your-face orange. You'll have many hundreds of buds and hybrid tea- style blooms all season long.
Narcissus ‘Paperwhite’ The secret to well-behaved Paperwhites.While researching other garden club websites and newsletters, the Issaquah Garden Club’s December newsletter came up with a seasonal tip from the archives of Growing for Market on the paperwhite topic. “The paperwhite narcissus is a popular bulb for winter forcing, but often the stems get so tall they flop over before the plant has finished flowering. New research reveals an unexpected solution to the problem: watering with alcohol. William Miller of the Flowerbulb Research Program at Cornell University found that paperwhites watered with diluted solutions of alcoholic beverages will be one-third to one-half shorter, with flowers as big and long-lasting as usual. Miller suggests planting paperwhites in stones, gravel, marbles, glass beads, etc., as usual. Add water as you normally would, then wait about one week until roots are growing, and the shoot is green and 1-2 inches above the top of the bulb. At this point, pour off the water and replace it with a solution of 4-6% alcohol made from just about any hard liquor such as gin, vodka, whiskey, rum, or tequila. To get a 5% solution from a 40% distilled spirit such as the aforementioned, add 1 part liquor to 7 parts water. Do not use beer or wine, as the sugars will cause problems for the plant. And don't exceed the 6% alcohol solution as any more may be toxic. If you don't have liquor in the house, you can use rubbing alcohol, which is 70% alcohol, and may be diluted at the rate of 1 part rubbing alcohol to 10 or 11 parts water. Use the alcohol solution instead of water for further irrigation of the bulbs. The plants will start to show effects within just a few days. Researchers aren't sure why the alcohol stunts the plant's growth, but suspect it is simply water stress, in which the alcohol makes it difficult for the plants to absorb water.”
Interesting proposition. How do they stay upright and not tipsy from all that alcohol—those lushes? But then with the cost of alcohol, would just a stake be a better solution? Alcohol plant dispersal might be a solution for dry January, however—but then there are those pesky alcohol aromas to contend with. What’s a gardener to do? Get those plants sloshed.
Itoh Peonies Oh how we lusted after these in year’s past. The ever-popular, but formerly expensive Bartzella yellow Itoh peony, has come down to a respectable price line. This is an intersectional special hybrid cross involving a lactiflora as one parent and a tree peony as the second parent.
There is a wide range of colors and flower form varies from single to semi-double. In this group we see the brightest yellow-colored peonies available like, Bartzella, Garden Treasure, Sequestered Sunshine and several others. Nearly all cultivars of this group have one main bud and 3 side buds that open in succession providing a bloom season of 3-4 weeks on a single plant. The later blooming side buds are often larger and fuller in flower form than the first bud to open. This long bloom season is the longest in the peony world and a wonderful and welcome quality for gardeners. Full sun, deer resistance. Cut down to hard wood in fall.
Cordyline Conlyar Red Star Grass Burgundy. Bright burgundy-red foliage creates a dramatic and eye-catching grass-like effect with long arching leaves. Tiny white blooms appear on dark red stems in summer. Spectacular paired with bright-colored foliage and flowers. Plant in drifts along walkway borders or in foundation plantings. A bold architectural form in container gardens. Evergreen. Likes sun and humidity. Can live long, if not frozen. Prune to base in fall. Non-toxic.
Wintergreen Boxwood Shrub Evergreen The Wintergreen Boxwood, Buxus sinica var. Insularis 'Wintergreen', is a cold tolerant, slow growing broadleaf evergreen which can be planted individually or in containers as an accent. These are perfect for growing evergreen hedges and garden borders. This is a very winter hardy shrub, that matures at 3-5 ft., but be sure to place it in an area well protected from winter winds. Only maintenance is pruning.
Hebe Silver Dollar Hebe Silver Dollar is a variegated pink, white and green open-leafed shrub with an upright, spreading habit. It is dense, low growing and evergreen which has small oval leaves that are dark green with cream margins. In the cooler months and spring the tips are edged in red. During the summer months, it has pale-blue colored flowers that fade to white. Growing a hebe plant is very easy in full sun, free-draining soil. The versatility of these shrubs allows you to grow them in different ways. Use them for edging, plant them in borders, grow them in rock gardens or even in containers.
Wintercreeper Euonymus Fortunei Variegated Euonymus fortunei, commonly called wintercreeper euonymus, is a dense, creeping to mounding, broadleaf evergreen to semi-evergreen subshrub that will also climb using adventitious roots. Native to East Asia where it can be found in forests, thickets, and scrublands. It may appear as a trailing ground cover, a mounding shrub or a climbing vine. Variegatus' is a variegated intermediate form which is most often grown as a sprawling, bushy, indefinitely- spreading ground cover (6-12" tall). It features lustrous, ovate to elliptic green leaves (1-2" long) variegated with white. Inconspicuous greenish-white flowers may appear in June and winter berries. Low toxicity, but needs to be controlled.