Evergreens are so often overlooked as the green supporting shrubs that prop up our more glamorous summer stars. And, sure, we all love a bit of floral drama. Ammi, verbascum, phlox and foxgloves will always demand more attention than a dark green yew dome. But in my years as a professional gardener, I’ve come to admire the quiet persistence of evergreens, especially when it comes to weed suppression.
Take prostrate rosemary or creeping juniper, both of which I’ve grown in public and private gardens across London. These evergreens are spreaders, producing a dense covering, and so doing a pretty good job of limiting wind-blown weed seeds from taking root.
