Evergreen gardens are timeless and stylish, providing colour and texture even through the bleakest of seasons. Award-winning designer Kate Gould is bringing the verdant ‘Out of the Shadows’ garden to Chelsea Flower Show 2022. Here, she advises on how to design an evergreen garden in your own outdoor space.
Kate Gould’s ‘Out of the Shadows’ Sanctuary Garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show demonstrates how stylish gardens can be designed around modern lifestyle demands. The small space features a swim-spa, climbing bars, a meditation space, a fire bowl and seating, all in the context of a luscious and minimalistic evergreen garden.
Kate’s evergreen garden ideas
Which evergreens will feature in the ‘Out of the Shadows’ garden?
Many evergreen plants have quite dark leaves, so to avoid the garden looking too moody, I chose plants which have different structures and shapes to add texture.
Lots of evergreens are featured in the garden and many of these are palms and Cycads which will grow in temperatures that fall to below freezing for short periods of time.
Not only do these plants look majestic all year round, but they also look wonderful when lit up at night. This will give the garden a whole new feel as the light levels drop to dusk.
What are the benefits of an evergreen garden?
Evergreens have played a backbone role in gardens since the dawn of gardening. Greenery is the anchoring element in any garden and especially so in the winter.
We celebrate evergreens almost unconsciously now: Christmas trees and wreaths, for example, will brighten our homes at the darkest times of the year, so it makes sense that a garden only benefits from evergreens all year round.
Evergreens are also good to consider when it comes to being mindful about the environment as they improve air quality and provide a place for birds to nest even in the winter months.
What should readers think about when designing an evergreen garden?
It is easy to get very blobby and constricted with evergreens. By nature they are often quite dense, which means they can create brilliant topiary forms. Making sure the planting design is balanced is key to ensuring they shine.
That said, if you really want to go for it, then an all-evergreen garden with lots of clipped and contrasting shapes will establish a timeless look (albeit with a lot of clipping to do).
Evergreen plants: Kate’s recommendations
Evergreen trees
- Laurus nobilis (the humble Bay tree) is a great plant for small garden since it is very happy in a planter.
Evergreen shrubs
- For a freeform shrub with a tropical feel, Fatsia japonica is a star.
- Flowering evergreen Viburnums are also a brilliant option, though they generally demand space to grow.
- For something smaller, try a Daphne, but bear in mind they are notoriously temperamental. When they are happy, though, they will add beautiful scent to your garden in later winter.
Evergreen plants for containers
- Topiary of all forms looks great in planters.
- For lightness, you could contrast topiary with some evergreen or ever-bronze grasses.
Evergreen ground cover plants
- Vinca major is rather a beast, but it is a great option if you have a lot of ground to cover.
- For something a little more well behaved, consider the glossy leaves of Pachysandra. This will add lightness to the shady spots it most enjoys.
