Modern gardens are no longer several hundred, but only a few square meters. But even in such a small space, small trees or evergreen shrubs can be planted effectively.
The pretty Korean fir grows slowly
Small trees for the evergreen garden
Holly, box, cherry laurel or the ubiquitous conifers can be found as evergreen plants in almost every garden. For this reason, we have put together some less frequently planted evergreen shrubs for you here.
Wintergreen privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
This robust shrub can grow up to five meters high and is particularly suitable for hedges, the 'Aureum' variety is also suitable as a decorative leaf plant.
Dwarf balsam fir (Abies balsamea 'Nana')
'Nana' is a small variant of the balsam fir native to North America. It grows compact, rather rounded and does not get higher than 80 centimeters even in old age. This pretty dwarf conifer is suitable for rock gardens, heath gardens and perennial gardens. The dwarf balsam fir tolerates shade.
Korean fir (Abies koreana)
The comparatively slow-growing Korean fir only grows to a height of between 10 and 15 meters and develops a broadly conical crown. Grafted plants that grow a little more slowly are often offered in the trade. The varieties 'Blauer Pfiff' and 'Silberlocke' are particularly interesting for small gardens.
Dwarf cork fir (Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta')
This very decorative, slow-growing fir fits perfectly in small gardens. It grows richly branched and does not get higher than four meters even in old age. Its needles, which are very densely placed and are up to 2.5 centimeters long, are blue-green to silver-grey on the upper side. This variety loves high air and soil moisture, but is sensitive to a high lime content.
Bristlecone Pine (Pinus aristata)
In its homeland, the high elevations of the Rocky Mountains, the bristlecone pine can grow up to 15 meters high in old age. With us, however, it hardly reaches more than six to eight meters. It grows very slowly and develops a loose, often picturesque crown. It absolutely needs a very permeable soil and a sunny, airy location.
East Asian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila 'Glauca')
This species, which remains very small, is the counterpart of the alpine mountain pine (Pinus mugo), native from East Asia to Japan. The very attractive dwarf pine with its blue-green needles is suitable for rock gardens and heath gardens, it is also indispensable in Japanese gardens. It needs a sunny to lightly shaded location and is very sensitive to waterlogging.
Dwarf Pine (Pinus strobus 'Radiata')
This richly branched dwarf form of the Weymouth pine grows in a broad cone shape, but in old age it can reach a height of between four and six meters and a width of up to three metres. 'Radiata' absolutely needs a sunny location and sandy-humic, well-drained soil.
Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata 'Nana')
The Japanese yew is the East Asian equivalent of the European yew. It grows as a shrub or develops into a tree up to 15 meters high. In this country, the 'Nana' variety is predominantly cultivated, which grows to a maximum of two meters high and up to three meters wide.
tips
Instead of a small tree, you can also cultivate an evergreen shrub grown as a half-stem or standard. The common boxwood or holly are very suitable for this.