Colorful Evergreens in the Landscape: Golden Evergreens

Colorful Evergreens in the Landscape: Golden Evergreens

Golden Evergreens in the Landscape

When planning a garden design it is important to incorporate interesting structure and color into the landscape so that there is eye-catching interest all year long. Golden evergreens will not only add structure but will enhance the landscape with their outstanding show of color.  There are a variety of golden evergreens available to the homeowner to implement into the landscape.  There are six in particular that I will focus on in this article that have proven to be hardy in the zone 7 northeastern garden and that will thrive in zones ranging from 4 to 8.

Picea orientalis 'Skylands'

The first in this series is Picea Orientalis 'Skylands' or Skyland's Oriental Spuce.  'Skylands' is a slow growing coniferous tree that prefers full sun to partial shade and is hardy in USDA zones 5-8.  It is true that younger specimens of this tree can be prone to sun scorch so ideally 4-8 hours of sun is best.  I have been successful when planting 'Skylands' in a southeasterly exposure in zone 7.  Grow this tree in a moist well-drained acidic soil and apply mulch around the tree to protect the roots.  After ten years of growth Skylands reaches a height of approximately ten feet and a width of four feet and can grow to a height of 35 feet over time in ideal conditions.  Being a slow grower and having a narrow stature this tree is ideal for smaller spaces.    Its beautiful yellow-chartreuse candles and densely arranged needles make this tree a conversation piece in the landscape.  Mature trees develop small reddish-purple cones that only add to the beauty of this tree.  This tree is truly a favorite!

Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Gold Mop'

The next of the gold series is Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Gold Mop' or Gold Mop Cypress.  Gold Mop Cypress is a small golden conifer with delicate thread-like textured foliage.  This relatively hardy shrub is best grown in full sun in a well-drained acidic soil in zones 4-8.  It displays a low mounding mop -like appearance and reaches a height and width of 3 feet making it an excellent accent plant along with other evergreens and perennials.  Chamaecyparis 'Gold Mop' retains its yellow-golden color all winter and stays compact unlike its counterpart 'Gold Thread' Cypress which becomes more bronzed and reaches a height of 15 feet over time. 

Euonymus japonica 'Aureo Marginata'

Another favorite addition for golden color is Euonymus japonica 'Aureo Marginata' or Golden Euonymus which is not a conifer but rather a broadleaved evergreen.   Golden Euonymus is hardy in USDA zones 6-8 and prefers a moist, well-drained neutral-acidic soil and full sun to partial shade.    This evergreen displays yellow-green shiny foliage all year round and is fairly slow growing.  It reaches a maximum height and width of 4-6' but can be kept compact with regular maintenance pruning. These shrubs serve nicely as either foundation plantings or in an informal garden.

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea Nana'

Next on the list is Chamaecyapris obtusa 'Aurea' or Golden Hinoki Cypress.  Golden Hinoki Cypress ranges in a variety of sizes from the species 'Nana' which is dwarf in size (2-3' in height)  to 'Compacta' which is medium height (10-20 ' in height) to 'Gracillis' (40-60' in height).  Hinoki Cypress are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and display luxurious golden twisted compact foliage throughout all the seasons.  These evergreens prefer to be grown in full sun in a moist but well-drained acidic soil.  Some of the more popular varieties are Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea Nana' (seen here), 'Verdoni' which displays a deeper yellow foliage and grows a bit taller to 6-8 feet and 'Confucious' which is a newer slower growing variety with broader yellow foliage on emerald green under layers and growing to 4-6 feet in height.  'Crippsi' is a popular golden variety growing to 15-30 feet and can be used as either a specimen or incorporated into a privacy screening.  Each one of these varieties is more beautiful than the next and serve as excellent specimens in the landscape.  Hinoki Cypress can be used as a focal point in a foundation planting or as a stand alone piece in a cottage garden, evergreen garden or perennial border.  These magnificent beauties will add outstanding interest to just about any landscape.

Cedrus deodara 'Aurea'

Golden Deodara Cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Aurea') is another magnificent focal point in the landscape.  It is one of the larger golden evergreens ranging in size from 15-25 feet in height to 80-100 feet in height depending on the particular species.  Deodara Cedar 'Aurea' displays a rich golden-yellow color on graceful wispy branches.  They prefer to be grown in full sun in a moist but well-drained soil and are hardy in USDA zones 6-8.  Cedrus deodara 'Gold Cone' (shown here) grows to height of 20-30 feet and displays beautiful pendulous branches covered in green-yellow foliage and grows in a more vertical fashion thus taking up less space in the landscape than some other cedars.  Golden deodara Cedar is often used as an anchor plant or specimen planting in the landscape.

Colorful Evergreens in the Landscape: Blue Evergreens

Colorful Evergreens in the Landscape: Blue Evergreens

Blue Evergreens in the Landscape

Are you looking to add permanent vibrant color to your landscape?  Well look no further.  In the previous segment I discussed the implementation of colorful golden evergreens into the backbone or foundation of the landscape.    There are also several varieties of blue evergreens that can act as a stand alone piece or complement the golden evergreens in your garden.  These varieties are hardy in a number of areas including USDA hardiness zones 2-8.

Cedrus atlantica glauca 'Pendula' (Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar)

The first in our series is among the most popular of the blue evergreens. Known for its graceful pendulous silvery-blue branches, Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus Atlantica 'Glauca Pendula') is an outstanding specimen.  Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar is hardy to USDA Zones 6-8, prefers an acidic-slightly to alkaline well-drained loam soil and location in full sun (6-8 hours sunlight). They are tolerant of many soil types but will not fare well in soils with poor drainage such as clay.  These magnificent trees can be trained as an upright or spiral trunk and can be maintained at a desired size through selective pruning.   Depending on the structure of your tree it can reach a height of 10-15 feet and a width of 8-10 feet across and would be difficult to transplant once established. Be sure to give it room to grow.  As your tree matures its cascading branches will drape down to the ground giving your tree grace and charm. 

Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca'

Belonging to the same genus, Upright Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca') is the upright larger form of blue cedar.  Reaching to a height of 40-80 feet this pyramidal evergreen is a wonderful stand alone piece.  This specimen enjoys a moist, well-drained acidic-slightly alkaline soil in full sun and is hardy to USDA zones 6-8.  Majestic in every way, Cedrus atlantica is one of the true cedars named after its native area, the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco.  Blue Atlas Cedar rapidly grows upright over its first ten years then spreads to a width of 10-15 feet in the landscape.  Give it plenty of room preferably on its own berm and allow this showpiece to shine.

Picea pungens 'Montgomery' (Globe Blue Spruce)

For a smaller area in the garden add some blue by incorporating Picea pungens 'Montgomery' or Montgomery Globe Spruce.  Dwarf in stature, this globe-shaped evergreen exhibits compact bright blue needles on a flat-topped and densely branched shrub.  This specimen is excellent in tight spaces since it only reaches a height and width of 2-3 feet.  Globe spruce prefers to be grown in a moist, well-drained acidic soil and is hardy in zones 2-8.  Use this beauty as a focal point in the garden.  It serves nicely as a foundation planting or as an accent in an evergreen-perennial garden.

Picea pungens 'Fat Albert'

Used as an anchor in a foundation planting or as a privacy screen, Colorado Blue Spruce 'Fat Albert' is definitely a beauty.  'Fat Albert' is a slow grower, reaching to a height and width of 10-15 feet and gets its name from its wider appearance.  It is hardy in USDA zones 2-7 and prefers full sun and a moist but well-drained acidic soil.   Avoid planting this tree in a heavy clay soil as the roots will suffer from poor drainage.   Also it is very important that this tree receive  "full" sunlight meaning 6 or more hours of daylight daily in order to thrive and prevent fungal disease.   Give it this tree plenty of space to grow and it will provide color and structural interest to your landscape.  Picea pungens 'Hoopsi' is a narrower pyramidal form of this tree growing to a height of 15-18 feet.  

Picea pungens 'Bakeri'

Next is a more compact form of blue spuce-Picea pungens 'Bakeri' or Bakeri Spruce.  'Bakeri' spruce is hardy to USDA zones 2-7 and stays more pyramidal at a height of 15-18 feet and width of 6-8 feet.  This blue-green spruce prefers to be grown in full sun in a slightly acidic, well-drained soil.   This beauty also has a wide variety of uses such as a focal point in a foundation planting or as an accent tree in an informal garden.

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'

For a little blue along the perimeter of your garden try Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'. Juniperus 'Blue Star' exhibits bright silver-blue foliage on low branching needles and grows to a maximum height of 2-3 feet making it an excellent foreground planting. This welcome member is hardy to USDA zones 4-8 and prefers to be grown in full sun in a semi-moist well drained slightly-acidic soil.  Once established this evergreen requires minimal watering.  Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' works well as a mass planting, rock garden plant, seacoast planting or as an accent in a perennial border.
Next time you are looking to add some everlasting color and interesting texture to your landscape try adding a little bit of blue.  Complement the blue color of these fabulous evergreens with a little bit of gold, burgundy, purple or yellow.  The mixture of cool and warm colors will create a dramatic impact in your garden that will bring much enjoyment to your landscape.

Solutions Center

Solution Center

SNOW MOLD

As the snow melts each spring, lawns often show signs of damage from the snow cover over the long winter months.
The most important step you can take is to rake all of your matted down or damaged areas of grass as soon as the snow melts. A light raking just to lift the blades of grass will allow any excessive moisture to evaporate, giving your turf the chance to dry out. If these areas are neglected even for a short period of time the grass will die out and seeding will be required. *To help prevent winter damage, the final cutting of the year should be cut at about 2 inches.
AT A GLANCE...

• Rake matted down areas as soon as snow melts.
  
• Proper fertilization will encourage natural healing.
  
• Manage the thatch later by doing a core aeration, in fall.
  
• Last cutting of the year, cut as short as possible, as late as possible