After growing a whole bunch of Cistus this variety has risen to the top. Upright growing deep green evergreen shrub to 5′ tall and 5′ wide. The thin deep green leaves have the sweet fragrance of balsam. Beginning in May a constant procession of 3″ white flowers with a red basal blotch on each petal. Each flower lasts a day but there is a constant supply waiting in the wings. Full sun and average well drained soil. Tolerates clay soils well. If you give it a touch of supplemental summer water it will often extend the bloom season all the way until September. Exceptionally cold hardy. One of the finest rock roses.
Plant Type: Hedge or Screen
Screens and hedges are two different things but many of the same plants are applicable. A screen can be blocking one particular view or angle. At its best it is informal and grows quickly to its intended height. A hedge is inherently more formal. Often clipped or sheared it professes a uniformity that imbues structure and form into gardens. Hedges can delineate space in a natural way and they don’t have to be formal. Shrubs with a similar habit in a row can be just as pleasing. It pays dividends to treat these plants well from the beginning.
Dig a large hole and develop a moat around each plant for irrigation. And absolutely mulch them. Treating a hedge well and uniformly affords you the best form and color and saves you the headache of having to replace a fallen soldier. We list screens and hedge plants varying in size. That gives the gardener as many applications as possible. One tip: When buying a row of hedge plants plant 1 or 2 more than you need in other parts of the garden, that way if one of them dies you’ll have a replacement of just the same size and you’ll save considerably too.
Climate adapted plants for gardeners in the PNW
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Birodo’
Wonderful easy to grow dwarf form of Japanese Cedar. This form has not scales but more like tiny needles. In summer the foliage is deep green. With cooler weather it takes on amazing russet tints. Very slow growing to 3′ x 2′ in 8 years. Incredibly dense growth habit gives the appearance of diligent pruning- but none is required. Extremely drought tolerant. For full sun and little summer water once established. Rock gardens, containers, gravel gardens. With or without other dwarf conifers. High deer resistance. An excellent truly long term dwarf conifer that retains its good looks. It would make a great no prune hedge that maxes out at 4′ tall but provides density. Very good resistance to subfreezing wind. This performs very well in the Columbia River Gorge and eastern suburbs of Portland. Static form but dynamic seasonal color shifts. Cool.
Elaeagnus pungens ‘Glen St. Mary’
Compact Silverthorn is a pretty, tough and useful evergreen in our climate. This form is compact with dense foliage that begins clad in brown fur and settles to silvery gray. The underside of the leaves are pure metallic gold. In autumn small pendant white flowers emit an intense sweet perfume. Noticeable many feet away. Hedges, specimens, barriers. Full sun to part shade with any soil that is never boggy. To 4′ x 5′ in 7 years. The juvenile stage of Eleagnus pungent is a shrub , with great age they can assume the figure of a vine, climbing by large canes that reach upward. These can easily be pruned off to retain a smaller shrub. This slower growing form takes many, many years to reach this stage. Flowers on old wood, prune AFTER flowering. Very drought tolerant when established. Fast growing and easy. Very cold hardy. Japan.
Escallonia bifida ‘Compact White’
Useful, tough and good looking evergreen shrub that has glossy deep green foliage and masses of small tubular white flowers for months beginning in June. To 5′ x 5′ in 12 years for virtually any well drained soil, including clay. Excellent cold hardiness and totally summer drought tolerant. No water necessary. Hedges, specimens, holding plant for rough areas. Takes any amount of pruning. Excellent performance at the Oregon Coast This ever blooming shrub thrives with little care in the roughest situations. Not bad in a woodland and very tolerant of deer. Unmolested from pests or disease in general. Clean looking shrub. May be pruned very hard to resize, rejuvenate, but that is rarely necessary. Pretty clean white flowers. Excellent fast evergreen hedge. Chile.
Escallonia x exoniensis ‘Gold Brian’
Brilliant gold shrub that lights up borders and makes a pretty showy hedge as well. In late summer sporadic hot pink small flower clusters provide added contrast. Tough evergreen for nearly any soil type. Drought adapted. Foliage does not burn in full sun- in fact it takes the hottest aspects. Fast growing to 4′ x 5′ in 4 years. Cold hardy to about 5ºF- but has recovered from the roots from below 0ºF Native to Chile. Takes well to pruning. Excellent performance at the Oregon Coast.
Frangula (Rhamnus) californica ‘Eve Case’
Excellent evergreen west coast native shrub that is always at its best. Large, glossy deep green foliage clothes the stems densely on a compact but large growing form of California Coffeeberry. Insignficiant tiny green flowers in summer/autumn turn into crops of red then brown berries. Very showy until stripped by wildlife. This species is native from SW Oregon through Calfornia west of the mountains. Completely drought tolerant- in fact it resents summer water. To 8′ x 8′ in 5 years. Wild areas, informal low water hedges, blasting urban heat. We should take advantage of these climate adapted west coast plants for the toughest sites. Great deer resistance. Oregon native plant
Frangula (Rhamnus) californica ‘Leatherleaf’
A really cool version of California Coffeeberry which is also native to SW Oregon. Thick deep green rounded leaves clothe madder red stems densely on this large shrub that can achieve tree like status with time. Insignificant green flowers transform into brown then black berries eaten by wildlife. Incredibly drought adapted never needing ANY supplemental water. Well drained soils in full sun. To 9′ x 9′ in 8 years. Pruning can keep it lower and it would make an admirable hedge. Cold hardy to near 0ºF. Often not bothered by deer and one of the best deer resistant hedges for rural area- put a test plant out first to see if your deer are different It grows quickly with little to no irrigation.
Oregon native plant
Garrya x issaquahensis ‘Glasnevin Wine’
Large exceptional evergreen shrub that is a hybrid selection between two native west coast species. To 12′ tall and nearly as wide the merlot red stems support wavy deep green leaves. From December to April 3″ long wine red tassels are graceful and showy. Fast growing shrub for average to rich well drained sites in full sun to high overhead shade. Little water when established. Slightly hardier to cold than G. elliptical ‘James Roof’. Great low water hardy fast screening shrub. Easy to grow. Give it space to fill out. Prune AFTER flowering has ended in spring if needed. Appreciates good air circulation. An open exposure or this is also is a great plant for the high dry shade of native Oaks.
Oregon native plant
Hakea epiglottis
Beaked Hakea. Out of this world wiry shrub from Tasmania that forms nearly a tree with modified stems that serve as leaves. Fast growing see through plant that casts no shade for full sun and average to poor well drained soil. Proteaceous- avoid fertilizers and compost. Completely drought adapted needing no supplemental water once established. Water regularly until new growth commences . Forms a large piece of architecture. In early spring tiny sulphur yellow flowers crowd the leaf axils and emit a sweet clove fragrance. Very easy to grow. Cold hardy to 5ºF but avoid blasting subfreezing winds from the gorge. Completely deer resistant. Very inviting to small birds who will swarm the shrub to find protection in its wiry center- Bush tits adore this shrub To 8′ x 6′ in 5 years. Specimen, unusual hedgerow. Excellent cut material for groovy bouquets. Very fun to grow. Pronounced HAY-kee-uh.
Hebe ‘Western Hills’
Fantastic Hebe that has stood the test of time. Large growing to 3′ x 3′ an upright shrub with fine silver/gray foliage held on black tinted stems. In summer spikes of white flowers appear. Cold hardy, low water, long lived Hebe that is a stunning focal point or even informal hedge. Moderately fast growing- about 6″- 10″ per year. Regular summer water speeds growth- low water when established. Full sun to light shade. A really pretty silver shrub that is elegant and easy to grow. Excellent performance at the Oregon coast- it tolerates strong winds well. Perfectly hardy to cold in Portland not bothered by temperatures near 5ºF- and it survived -2ºF at my parents house in December 2013 near Eugene. It was mangled but made a full recovery by late spring. Great texture that combines symmetry and silver.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- …
- 8
- Next Page »