Tall Evergreens That Can Be Potted

Design Goals

• The best plant choices enhance a home's architecture. Tall cedars and arborvitae lend Italian notes to a home. Topiary boxwoods at an entrance can be trimmed to echo the topiary trees at Versailles to mirror the French garden atmosphere. Trimmed yews give a polished English look appropriate for a colonial style home. Contemporary homes benefit from weeping firs or tall, branching cedars that lend contrast to a rectangular residence.

Climate

• Using shrubs recommended for the local gardening zone is essential. Additional factors such as sun exposure and whether a location has protection from strong winds also matter. Browse plants at nearby nurseries, then choose shrubs with a planting zone number the same as or lower than the local zone. In other words, it is permissible to plant a zone 4 plant in zone 5, but a zone 6 plant will have lower survival odds due to the colder climate. In a difficult location, such as one that is sunny, windy and unprotected, it is best to choose a shrub that is cold hardy in a lower zone.

Evergreen Varieties

• The range of available evergreen varieties varies tremendously according to climate and geography. Depending on the geographic location, "evergreen" means plants with needles, bracts or even glossy, water-retaining leaves similar to deciduous trees. In the mid-south, live oaks give a massed yet open feeling, and camellias provide exquisite flowers and fragrance. In areas with milder winters, upright yews have dense texture and glowing, yellow-green color. Boxwoods are available in all growth densities, from spiky-slender to full, lush varieties that can be trimmed to geometric or other shapes. Boxwood species are available in most gardening zones.

Care

• Big shrubs require large pots. Ideally, the pot should be twice as wide and twice as deep as the root ball. This allows for insulation from the cold all around the root ball as well as room for root growth. Adding a layer of gravel or sand 3 to 6 inches deep to the bottom of the pot prevents standing water from rotting the roots. Drill extra holes in the bottom of large pots so water drains quickly. Apply mulch 3 to 4 inches deep after planting. A quality soil mix with slow-release fertilizer mixed in will give the plants an excellent start.