BEYOND
B lue S pruce
the
Evergreens are an essential part of the landscape and provide us with year-
round interest, but homeowners rarely look beyond the big blue spruce or
mammoth spreading juniper. Here, we explore unique and hardy selections to
bring colour and interest to even the smallest spaces.
RUSSIAN CYPRESS
This hardy, low growing evergreen will
tolerate both sun and shade. Soft
feathery foliage looks great in either
mixed beds or foundation plantings.
Extremely cold tolerant, new selections
include ‘Fuzzball’, growing just 1ft tall
and 3ft wide.
CEDAR
Other than traditional Blue Spruce,
Cedar are the most popular planted
evergreen in our area. The deep green,
soft foliage of Cedar can be seen
everywhere on the humid West Coast,
but here on the Prairies, location and
variety are of key importance when
growing Cedar.
Location: Cedars prefer a partially
shaded, moist location (not a dry,
sunny spot). A sheltered spot, away
from wind is very important, as in
winter, cold, dry winds will quickly
damage these evergreens.
Variety: There are several selections
our tree and shrub staff can
YEW
Dense, low growing shrubs are an
excellent choice for hedging and
borders. They feature deep green,
glossy needles, with bright red berries
in late summer. Compact varieties like
Dark Green Spreader grow roughly 3ft
tall and 4-6ft wide.