Today’s smart tip is all about the boxwood. When it comes to being creative in your garden, no need to think outside the box, the boxwood, that is! Winter, spring, summer or fall, there’s a boxwood use for you. With over hundreds of boxwood on my property alone, I’m hoping I can entice you with at least one design idea that can work in your space.
Pair them. A pair of English boxwood can create wonderful symmetry to any entryway, especially a gated area. By shaping the boxwood in a circular pattern you can further ground the space and offer a visual softness, while the rounded edges create a transition that seems to lead the viewer further in.
Line with them. Lining with dwarf English boxwood is a great way to define a garden space and is also another wonderful way to transition along a walkway from one location to another.
Center one or more in a planter. The boxwood can also add drama and interest in a large planter; add some ivy or other cascading plants at the base and you’re good to go for years.
Use to hide unpleasantness. Perhaps the most practical way to use a boxwood in the garden is to screen and hide things from sight; for example, a house’s foundation. The boxwood allows the eye to only notice the lush dense green shrubbery rather than unattractive poured cement.
Create whimsy. Boxwood can be trimmed into fun shapes and sizes, too, everything from an animal silhouette to a multi-layer topiary.
Have I planted a seed? When you add in that they are deer resistant and can tolerate extreme winters, no wonder I think boxwood are the way to go. I’m sure you’ll be thinking inside the box in your garden in no time.