Many plants lose their leaves in autumn and winter, but evergreen trees continue to add interest, colour and texture in every season. And, despite the generic name, they are rarely just green. Some may even change colour with the seasons, presenting shades of misty blue, rich gold, glowing red and moody grey, with leaves varying in shape from finely tapered conifer needles to lush, exotically swaying palm fronds.
Certain evergreen trees also have flowers, some bear fruit while others have attractively shaped cones, decorative seeds, nuts and dramatically coloured or textured bark.
For homeowners starting out on their garden design, or adding to their existing plans, the best evergreen trees are guaranteed to bring structure, colour and interest to your plot. So whether you want to squeeze a single evergreen in a pot by the front door, or prefer to plant a big tree in a forever garden, our selection has all the options covered.
1. Bay tree (Laurus nobilis)
- Best for: growing in a pot
- Height: 3m
- Spread: 1m
Perfect for beginner gardeners, this is an elegant, low-maintenance tree which thrives either in a pot with well-drained soil-based compost or it can be planted in the ground. The glossy leaves are aromatic and edible.
To avoid common bay tree problems, choose a sheltered spot in a sunny site. For container-grown trees, add control release fertiliser pellets or some liquid feed fortnightly in mid-spring to late summer and repot every two to three years.
Lollipop-shaped bay trees bring a touch of formality to the garden. They can be easily shaped and kept tidy by pruning in the summer.
2. Holm oak (Quercus ilex)
- Best for: classic English elegance
- Height: 10m
- Spread: 6m
A shapely tree with a naturally rounded crown and dark, glossy green leaves whose soft spikes resemble holly leaves (this is why it’s sometimes called the Holly Oak). Added interest comes with green acorns, which eventually turn dark red.
This evergreen tree does need regular shaping to keep it a manageable size and it can be trimmed into neat, compact forms, making it a good tree for a small garden.
It’s a tough tree which will tolerate exposed sites and is resistant to salt spray, making it a good choice for a coastal plot. Grow in full sun or dappled shade.
3. Lawson Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
- Best for: a striking accent tree for any size space
- Height and spread: varies according to the cultivar
Looking for a reliable, well-shaped conifer that won’t get out of hand and lead to neighbour tree disputes? Suitable for many different soil types and many varieties will thrive in an exposed or sheltered position.
There are so many different types and colours to choose from. ‘Columnaris’ with its blue-grey foliage is one of the most popular. ‘Golden Wonder’ is rich yellow and ‘Green Pillar’ is a lovely medium-sized tree. If space is very limited, dwarf varieties, such as ‘Aurea Densa’ are a sensible pick.
Shop for manageable conifers
Supplied pre-potted, this conifer is ideal for placing in pairs in your garden.
Good for smaller gardens and has a dense foliage that ranges from grey-green to blue-green in colour.
This slow-growing variety has delicate foliage with creamy-white tints and is great for patio pots.
4. Eucalyptus gunnii (Cider Gum)
- Best for: easy fence coverage
- Height: 25m
- Spread: 15m
A tall, skinny evergreen tree with spicy aromatic foliage which is blue-green in younger plants, then matures to a deeper shade. The bark has a tactile, flaky texture for added visual interest. Native to southern Australia, this is one of the fastest growing and hardiest of the eucalyptus varieties, and it also thrives in the UK .
Cut back regularly to keep on top of the size and this will also ensure plenty of attractive new growth with smaller, button-shaped leaves. In the height of summer, it may produce a flush of pretty white flowers. Plant in full sun or part shade.
If you're short on space, Eucalyptus gunnii Azura ('Cagire'), available from Crocus, is a smaller variety – it's also very hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as -20˚C.
5. Olive
- Best for: timeless Mediterranean style
- Height: 7-9m; less if pot grown
- Spread: 7-9m; less if pot grown
Olive trees hail from the Mediterranean so they need warmer climes to thrive. Slow growing, their shimmery silver foliage adds a stylishly subtle backdrop to a muted palette of purple and white flowers.
They are one of the best trees to grow in pots, but you will need to water them weekly in hot, dry spells and give them a fortnightly feed in spring with a granular fertiliser. Make sure you also understand how to prune olive trees to ensure the best shape and future growth.
If temperatures drop to below -12˚C for long periods, the olive tree will need to be over-wintered inside, but it will make a striking addition to your interior during the cooler months.
In sheltered sites, when it’s likely to drop below -10˚C, a temporary horticultural fleece coat should be enough to prevent permanent damage.
These olive trees are available in a variety of sizes and quantities to add some Mediterranean character to your garden.
6. Oleaster (Eleagnus angustifolia)
- Best for: a hardier olive tree lookalike
- Height: 7m
- Spread: 7m
If you love the look of olive trees, but your growing conditions are too cold or damp, this robust shrub or tree could make an excellent substitute.
The foliage of the so-called Russian Olive has a lovely silvery sheen, it flowers from September to October and develops little orange speckled fruits in February. This plant tolerates full sun, part shade and can cope with moist soil, as well as coastal conditions and exposure to wind.
It is also a good choice for a small garden, as it won’t grow taller than 4m.
7. Eucryphia nymansensis
- Best for: adding kerb appeal in a front garden
- Height: 6-15m
- Spread: 180cm-3.6m
If you're looking for trees that will bring flowers and scents, this variety is worth considering. Also known as the ‘brush bush,’ this tree has the double bonus of dark, glossy evergreen foliage and stunning large, honey scented cup-shaped white flowers from late summer to autumn.
It prefers partial shade or full sun and a sheltered spot, so a woodland or cottage-style garden where it is protected by other trees would be a good bet. It will look after itself once it’s established, and only really requires a light trim in late winter.
8. Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
- Best for: 12-month interest with flowers, fruit and foliage
- Height: 8m
- Spread: 8m
Garden designers love this evergreen tree for its large, leathery leaves, clusters of fabulous white flowers in late summer and autumn, and the almost cartoon-like red textured fruits which give it the common name of the Strawberry Tree.
If you're in need of one of the best trees for privacy, you can plant it to screen an ugly view or better still, make it a feature tree as it has so much to create seasonal interest. Plant in well-drained soil.
A good choice for coastal gardens or a sheltered spot inland, this tree needs well-draining soil and prefers a sunny spot. Minimal pruning is required.
9. Colorado Blue Spruce
- Best for: soft, subtle colours
- Height: Varies according to type
- Spread: Varies according to type
Picea pungens has beautiful soft blue silvery foliage, spiky leaves and light brown winter buds. It's commonly used as a Christmas tree in the UK, but if you're planting one as a permanent feature make sure you check that the variety you pick is the right size.
In large gardens, try ‘Fat Albert’ (available from B&Q) which has a symmetrical pyramid shape, growing as big as 3m. ‘Koster’ is a good medium sized tree. For a tiny space, choose a dwarf variety such as ‘Montgomery,’ which tops just 60-90cm tall. Grow in full sun for the best results.
10. Portugese Laurel
- Best for: areas of shade
- Height: 10m
- Spread: 10m
As a general rule, flowering trees need at least a few hours of sun a day to thrive, but the Portugese Laurel (prunus lusitanica) is one of the best plants for shade and will happily grow in a shady corner. It has neat, glossy evergreen leaves and delicate small, creamy white flowers from April to May.
As it only requires a light trim once a year to keep it in shape, it's a brilliant choice for busy homeowners because it needs such minimal care.
You can buy Portugese Laurel from Crocus in a 2 litre pot ready to plant in your garden.
11. Irish Yew (Taxus baccata fastigiata)
- Best for: a slimmer, space-saving tree
- Height: 10m
- Spread: 4m
Perfect if you want to create a focal point, or visual ‘exclamation mark’ in a shady border, this dense, upright tree has an elegant column shape and dark green needle-like leaves. It is reasonably compact, making it suitable for small- to medium-sized gardens.
The female plants have red berries in the autumn. All parts of the tree are toxic, so avoid this one if you have young children or pets. The golden version, Taxus baccata fastigiata ‘Aurea’, would brighten up a gloomy garden corner.
Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Robusta' (available from Thompson & Morgan) is slow growing and requires little maintenance once established.
12. Variegated holly (ilex aquifolium)
- Best for: brightening up shady spots
- Height: 20m
- Spread: 6m
A slow-growing evergreen holly with marbled leaves which brings lots of interest to a shaded site. To ensure plenty of decorative winter berries, plant one male tree and one female (although some plant companies sell pairs in the same pot).
Holly ‘Golden King’ (available from Thompson & Morgan) has spineless green leaves with a gold rim, and ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ (available from Gardening Express) has spiny foliage with silvery cream edges, but there are lots of different ones to choose from.
Hollies do well in partial shade, preferably with moist, well-drained soil. Deeper shade is fine, but it may cause the leaf colouration to be less defined.
13. Magnolia Grandiflora (Bull Bay magnolia)
- Best for: fragrant flowers
- Height: 18m
- Spread: 15m
One of the best flowering trees, this evergreen tree has the wow factor, coming up time and again on garden designers’ favourites lists. It’s the killer combination of the dense dark green leaves and glorious large creamy cup-shaped fragrant flowers in late summer to early autumn which makes it such a beauty.
Despite its exotic looks, it is not difficult to grow, but it does require a large garden, well-drained soil and a sunny spot, or at least some dappled shade. Large specimen trees are slow growing but can reach 18m tall. However, if space is an issue, smaller standard versions on long skinny trunks are available from specialist nurseries.
Plant in a sheltered position away from strong winds. Prefers neutral to acidic, free-draining soils. Will reach an eventual height of around 15m.
14. Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
- Best for: chic, architectural style
- Height: 10m
- Spread: 1.5m
These pencil slim trees are ideal for stylish Mediterranean gardens. Use their striking architectural shape to frame either side of a gate, or to draw attention to a pretty view. Italian cypress trees (available from You Garden) can be grown in the ground or in pots, but they will need full sun and a warm climate to thrive.
Once they are established (after about two years), these evergreen trees will be drought tolerant. To maintain the appealing slender shape, trim lightly twice a year and remove the cones as these can push the branches apart and spoil the silhouette.
15. Pinus pinea
- Best for: a feature tree
- Height: 20m
- Spread: 12m
The sculptural shape of this tree takes some beating. It has a distinctive spherical crown with a flattened top, a bit like a parasol. Also known as an umbrella pine, or stone pine, the needles on the mature ones are greyish green, and the trunk has grooved bark in red brown.
It tolerates dry conditions, and prefers a sunny site, but generally these trees are not too fussy. The shape can be maintained with some light pruning in the winter, with no expensive tree surgery needed.
One for a medium to large garden, it grows about 1m per year and can be one way of adding a natural garden sunshade idea in summer.
16. Pinus Contorta ‘Chief Joseph’
- Best for: warm winter colour
- Height: 6m
- Spread: 1.2-1.8m
Proof, if it was needed, that evergreen trees aren't just a boring one tone green. This dwarf evergreen conifer’s needles turn a glowing gold in the autumn and winter months when temperatures drop.
It’s petite and upright enough to grow in a small courtyard garden, but it will also make a splash in a larger space because of the rich colour.
It needs full sun and acid or neutral well-drained soil, but it’s so straightforward to care for, it doesn't even need pruning.
17. Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
- Best for: exotic appeal
- Height: 2m
- Spread: 2.5m
No list of the best evergreen trees is complete without at least one palm. This tropical plant is prized for its large, glossy green fan-shaped leaves which sprout from a tufty, fibrous trunk on long, flexible stems. It has sprays of creamy yellow flowers in early summer.
Sheltered conditions are needed, well away from cold winds and hard frosts. Chusan palms (available from Gardening Express) can be grown as part of your garden planter ideas, which makes them a flexible choice for a small patio or even as part of your roof terrace ideas. It prefers full sun or lightly dappled shade.
FAQs
What is the difference between evergreen and deciduous?
The term ‘evergreen’ is used for trees which retain their foliage and stay green all year round. Deciduous trees are the ones which shed their leaves in fall and winter.
Conifers are often described as evergreen, but some varieties are deciduous, so check carefully before purchasing to ensure that your tree will remain green in the colder seasons.
What evergreen trees are best for small gardens?
For small gardens, opt for a hard-working evergreen tree which has more to offer than just year-round green foliage. This could be flowers, attractive fruits, cones or perhaps a striking textured trunk. Try Osmanthus x burkwoodii, which is recommended by top tree expert Michael Buck of Form Plants. It has clusters of white fragrant flowers which add a heady scent to summer evenings and it will tolerate a shady growing site.
For really small front garden ideas consider a dwarf conifer in a container. It will add shape and texture in every season of the year.
Is it easy to maintain an evergreen tree?
It is easy to maintain the best evergreen trees, provided you choose the right tree for the right place. This can be done by checking the ultimate height and spread of the plant before you buy.
Some evergreens, notably conifers, can quickly outgrow their allotted space, casting too much shade or impinging on neighbouring gardens. Other factors to consider are the root spread, and the pruning requirements of different tree varieties. According to the RHS, "to help new trees settle in, give them plenty of water and fertiliser for the first few years, as well as a sturdy stake for support."
As well as evergreen trees, for low-level cover, make sure you include some of the best evergreen shrubs as well. And, for added interest in winter, when much of your garden may have died back, pop in a few of the best winter-flowering shrubs to ensure colour and scent all year round.
The original version of this article previously appeared on Gardeningetc, a sister website to Homebuilding & Renovating.
