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Homes & Gardens
Homes & Gardens
Thomas Rutter

Evergreen shrubs that thrive on neglect – 5 expert plant picks that give year-round impact even when ignored

The Children With Cancer UK ‘A Place To Be...’ show garden at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, designed by Tom Clarke and Ros Coutts-Harwood, with evergreen shrubs and dense perennial planting.

Evergreen shrubs are the backbone of any garden. Over several years working as a professional gardener, I have found that evergreen domes, hedges, and bushes are just as important as flamboyant perennials and annuals, not least because they add texture and form to the garden, even in the depths of winter.

Take camellias, fatsias, or juniper, for example. These evergreen shrubs can be relied on to provide year-round interest at the front or back of borders, even during those long and dark December and January weeks. These resilient shrubs deserve a spot in any yard, especially for time-poor gardeners or beginners looking for an easy evergreen option.

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