Broad-leaved
evergreens can be excellent shade trees, offering a variety of forms
and leaf densities to suit a range of shading needs. Large, spreading
trees with lots of leaves, such as California live oak or Moreton
Bay fig, cast a deep shade conducive to solitary musings. Smaller
leaves and an upright form, found 'in some acacias and eucalypts,
for example, provide a cheerful atmosphere of dappled sunlight encouraging
more convivial gatherings and supportive of a wider range of understory
plants. Large
broad-leaved shade trees- Blue Gum; Indian Laurel; Live Oak;
Southern Magnolia
Smaller shade trees- Silver Wattle; Olive; Evergreen;
Ash; Yaupon Holly; Bottlebrush
Screening
and privacy-
Trees and shrubs can keep others from observing our private activities,
block unwanted views from our eyes, frame a desirable vista, create
"outdoor rooms" on our property, or form a backdrop or enclosure
for plantings of flowers. With their dense foliage andregular forms,
conifers are ideal for many of these purposes. Because they retain
their leaves, broad leaved evergreen shrubs have an advantage over
their deciduous relatives for year-round screens.
Some
coniferous trees and shrubs, such as hemlock and yew, and broad-leaved
plants, such as boxwood, can be trained and sheared to create formal
hedges ranging in height from less than a foot to over 20 ft. Plants
for formal sheared hedges should retain leaf-covered branches near
the ground, and the leaves should be small and closely spaced on
the stem. Avoid plants such as cypresses, which do not sprout new
growth on old wood, because they cannot be rejuvenated if they get
out of hand. Evergreens with unruly growth or large leaves are better
suited to informal or "natural" hedges and screens, which are pruned
lightly if at all.
Trees
and shrubs, singly or in groups, can screen unwanted views and protect
us from wind and driving rain and snow. A row of columnar incense
cedars can block out large, nearby objects such as a neighbor's
house. By placing a single tree in the line of sight, you can block
a view of a distant object from a picture window, patio, or other
specific vantage point.
Plants
for formal hedges- Osmanthus; Privet; Hollies; Pittosporum;
Cherry Laurel
Plants for natural screens- Camellia; Abelia; Wax Myrtle;
Nandina; Barberry; Euonymus; Malionia; Sweet Olive; Oleander
Planting
for pleasure-
While many evergreens are generally less flamboyant than deciduous
trees and shrubs, they are no less beautiful. Green is certainly
the dominant color, but evergreen foliage also ranges across yellow,
blue, and reddish hues. Broad-leaved evergreens, such as rhododendrons,
gardenias, and citrus, can provide spectacular, sometimes fragrant,
floral displays. What conifers lack in flowers, they make up with
striking cones or colorful berries. Scots pine, lacebark pine, and
others have attractive bark.
Evergreens
have long been used to complement, accent, or mask architecture.
Today's foundation plantings (groups of shrubs and small trees set
close to the house) can be more imaginative than the traditional
arrangements of sheared shrubs either side of the front door. In
them, you'll find flowering broad leaved evergreens such as rhododendrons,
abelia, and bottlebrush, and distinctive conifers such as Japanese
black pine or mugo pine.
You
can make striking plantings of evergreens elsewhere-plan them like
flower beds or borders, combining shapes, colors, and textures for
the greatest effect. Evergreens can also provide focal points or
foils for perennials in mixed beds and borders. Consider dwarf conifers
for rock gardens, or grow them in containers on the deck.
Eye-catching
evergreen trees- Bottlebrush; Southern Magnolia; Japanese
Black Pine; Loquat; Madrone
Attractive shrubs- Rhododendron; Camellia; Malionia; Ceanothus;
Heather; Viburnum; Japanese Piers
