Evergreen trees form a unique category in the world of garden design. In winter, these woody plants offer the most privacy and shelter. Thanks to milder winters and warmer summers, there are now many species suitable for this purpose. With their dense foliage, closed crowns, and retention of leaves, evergreen trees make a strong contribution to ecosystem services. They continue to perform their functions, albeit to a slightly lesser degree, throughout the year. Evergreen trees provide year-round protection from wind, sun, and unwanted views. Most evergreen species thrive in dry or well-draining soils. Below are some of our favorites.
Ilex aquifolium (European holly) is a small tree or large shrub, native to Europe, that naturally occurs as undergrowth in deciduous forests. Often, we also see it as a shrub among other trees, indicating its preference for sunny to shaded sites. European holly is very hardy and can withstand cold winds without difficulty. Its dense branching and stiff, spiny evergreen leaves give Ilex aquifolium a solid appearance. The small, inconspicuous white flowers bloom in spring. From September, the berries ripen, usually bright red, though yellow-fruited cultivars also exist. If you are selecting holly specifically for its berries, it is best to buy it in autumn and check for berry presence, since holly is dioecious: only female plants produce berries. Under favorable conditions, holly can reach ten meters in height.
A valuable trait of holly is its tolerance of pruning. Even oversized specimens can be cut back hard, as they have excellent regrowth capacity. This also makes holly suitable for topiary. As a result, we often see rounded shrubs and neatly clipped hedges. From September onward, the red berries appear and stay on the tree through winter, except during colder winters, when birds eat them.
Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) is a true pioneer species, belonging to the conifers, capable of growing under extreme conditions. This makes it highly suitable for use in challenging urban locations. While not demanding in terms of soil, it prefers well-drained types such as poor acidic soils, sandy soils, and rocky ground, provided it receives full sun. Scots pine tolerates drought and wind and thrives in coastal areas. Of all Pinus species, sylvestris has the widest distribution, stretching from Ireland to Portugal and from far eastern Russia to Mongolia. It is a large tree, reaching up to 30 meters. With its wind resistance and longevity, it often forms striking, characterful specimens. Few native trees are as distinctive as Scots pine, partly due to its evergreen crown. Another remarkable feature is its year-round ability to capture significant amounts of fine dust from the air. In recent years, Scots pine has been increasingly used in landscape designs, and deservedly so.
Magnolia grandiflora (evergreen magnolia) has striking leaves up to 30 cm long, giving the tree a firm and leathery appearance. The undersides are brown and feel remarkably soft. In July and August, this magnolia produces large, fragrant white flowers, highly visible against the dark green foliage. Because of its growth form, it looks quite different from the deciduous magnolias (such as the saucer magnolia), so people do not always recognize it as a magnolia. This tree is ideal for urban planting, as it tolerates paving and heat well. It grows to about 4–5 meters tall, with an oval crown due to its width. Although fairly hardy, it is best planted in a sheltered spot. Like other magnolias, it is best used as a solitary tree in a prominent location.
Osmanthus heterophyllus (false holly) is a shrub or small tree with elegant foliage. It is best known for its small, spiny leaves, similar in appearance to European holly. Variegated cultivars are also available and are often planted. All forms produce bright white, sweetly fragrant flowers in September and October, followed by small black berries that are a vital food source for birds in winter. Its spiny, dark green leaves make it suitable for dense hedges and topiary. With its compact growth habit, it also fits well into smaller gardens. The plants are robust, resilient, and heat tolerant, enduring long dry periods without issue. They tolerate pruning reasonably well, but cuts should remain within living tissue; cutting too deep will leave gaps that do not heal quickly. Mature plants rarely exceed four meters in height and about three meters in crown spread.
Quercus ilex (holm oak) is currently one of the most popular evergreen trees, thanks to its many outstanding qualities. Native to the Mediterranean, it naturally grows on rocky soils. Exposure to hot summers and intense sunlight has made the holm oak exceptionally tough and resilient. Its leaves are stiff and leathery, dark green on top and often grayish-white beneath. In spring, it produces yellow catkins, followed by small acorns. It is a very slow grower but tolerates pruning well, which is why it is often seen as a tightly clipped feature in gardens. Thanks to its dense crown, it is also suitable for espalier training. Holm oak prefers a sheltered site and grows well on both sandy and clay soils.
Taxus baccata (English yew) is without a doubt the most versatile of the evergreen trees. Its calm, stately appearance makes it a frequent choice for churchyards and cemeteries, often planted as a “guardian” at entrances, where it provides an intimate atmosphere year-round. Yew tolerates pruning extremely well, making it an ideal tree for shaping—whether into blocks, beehives, trapezoids, pyramids, or cones. It can live for centuries and has been part of the Dutch landscape since the Ice Age, testifying to its resilience. Remarkably, Taxus baccata can even be cut back to the trunk and still recover, making it easy to manage its size.
Its flowers are small and inconspicuous, while its fruits are bright red arils. These are not true berries but fleshy coverings around the hard green seed inside. Although the seeds are toxic to humans, the red flesh is an important food source for birds. Yew is a conifer but differs from most conifers in bearing arils instead of cones. Because of its dense branching and regrowth ability, yew is widely used for hedges, topiary, and bonsai-like shapes. Few people realize that pruning reveals its beautiful bark, which can also be a striking design feature.
