Pros And Cons: Planting Evergreen Shrubs in the Landscape

Green is a way of life in the garden, but unfortunately, deciduous trees are only partly green, losing their leaves to the bane of winter. Some people choose evergreens for their courtly symmetry and ability to remain green throughout, without realizing that evergreens come with their own set of problems. 

Then there’s the other set of individuals who ardently despise evergreens, considering them ghastly, tangled abominations that look like yesterday’s laundry. While a few evergreens may be eyesores, this doesn’t mean that all evergreens should be discounted. Many are intrinsic to the ecosystem – for example, fireflies lay their eggs in the canopy of native pine trees.

Read on to discover whether you should be adding evergreens to the landscape. 

Benefits to Evergreens

Evergreens are like butlers: they lurk strategically in the background without being disruptive or distracting. They aren’t divinely beautiful like wisteria, nor do they carry the old-money gravitas of hydrangeas. However, under the right conditions, evergreen shrubs can be an asset to the landscape. 

• Privacy: While fences may deter unruly dogs and screaming kids, they are often inadequate in blocking out prying eyes or irksome neighbors. A dense hedge can help by damping noise and providing a natural screen of privacy. In the summer, larger evergreens act as a natural barrier. Dwarf conifers and hollies can be grown in raised beds, providing structure. 

• Sustenance for Wildlife: Some evergreen bushes are great for housing birds, while native pines serve as congregating spots for fireflies, where the canopy of needles creates the key environment, comprised of leaf litter, detritus, and moisture. A slew of bird species, from eastern bluebirds and evening grosbeaks to wild turkeys, feast on the fruit of evergreens. Hollywood juniper tree produces glaucous berries that offer sustenance for birds.

• Energy Conservation: During the winter, when the branches are bare and the temperature plunges to negative degrees, energy conservation is important. Evergreens lessen the icy tendrils of cold by shielding homes from chilly weather. Planting about 15-20 feet away is ideal.  

• Year-Round Utility: Evergreens act as steadfast decorative features, perhaps to the point of becoming so commonplace that they suffer from no recognition. Nevertheless, their year-round utility makes them a good companion. They are not water intensive and require little in the way of maintenance. And they aren’t all relegated to ugly weed heaps – many spruces, like the Colorado Blue Spruce, have a beautiful, silvery color that is like a winter wonderland. 

Cons of Growing Evergreens

Many opine that, in the end, the only benefit of evergreens is their ability to remain green all year, which is mildly beneficial and isn’t worth the hassle. 

• Pests and Disease: Despite their hardy façade, evergreens are prone to dying, to the point that your neighbor is probably guilty of killing a large swath of them. Many gardeners make the mistake of overcrowding evergreens or planting them in compacted soil, leaving them vulnerable to pests. They also suffer from desiccation during the winter, stemming from a plant’s inability to draw water from the soil. Broadleaf evergreens like rhododendron, mountain laurel, holly, and boxwood are more susceptible because they lose moisture faster. 

• Messy Appearance: Another complaint is that evergreens seldom live up to expectation, where they line Old World facades and gothic treillages with formal grace. Oftentimes, they take on a messy, lackadaisical appearance due to a lack of pruning. 

• Slow to Fill In: Evergreens tend to plod along in terms of growth – many evergreens, particularly shrub-sized varieties, can be slow to establish; deciduous trees outclass them in this aspect. Watching them fill in a hedge is a slow, arduous process comparable to watching paint dry. 

• Limited Seasonal Variety: The truth of the matter is, evergreens are simply boring. The kaleidoscope of color seen in those ephemeral hillside flowers are absent from evergreens, and at times, evergreens appear almost as dead as the bare, stricken trees they were meant to replace. 

Should I Plant Evergreens?

Don’t be like the neighbor who plants a motley mix of evergreens in a small area, only for them to die the next year. Pool soil and a lack of nutrients are common culprits, but the reason why evergreens are dying could be anything, and if they are this fickle, then perhaps they deserve to wither.  

Before planting, it’s important to assess your garden space, climate, and long-term maintenance goals. If you’re patient and prepared for a bit of upkeep, evergreens can become a reliable and constant feature in your landscape. But if you’re looking for rapid results or maximalist flair, you might want to mix them in with other plants for a livelier garden.

Don’t Grow Evergreens if You: 

• Have limited space 

• Prefer seasonal variety in your landscape 

• Don’t want to deal with the maintenance 

• Live in an area with extreme weather conditions