Introduction
Beautiful evergreen flowering shrubs are a popular choice for gardeners looking to add year-round colour and interest to their outdoor spaces.
They present a great investment as they provide both beauty and structure to your garden.
Unlike deciduous shrubs that lose their leaves in autumn, evergreen shrubs retain their foliage all year round, providing a lush and full look, even in winter.
- Introduction
- Different Types of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
- Understanding Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
- Popular Types of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
- Choosing Evergreen Shrubs as Container Plants
- Container Planting Rhododendrons
- Holly: A favourite Evergreen Flowering Shrub
- Lavandula Prefers Slightly Alkaline Soil
- Viburnum Tinus: A Flowering Shrub for All Seasons
- Berberis
- Berberis Aren’t Fussy About Soil Types
- Apply Mulch Each Spring
- Colour Varieties
- Uses of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
- Conclusion
Different Types of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
There are many different types of evergreen flowering shrubs to choose from, each with their own unique characteristics.
Some popular examples include Azalea, Buddleia, and Japanese Skimmia.
Azaleas are compact evergreen shrubs that produce bright and colourful flowers in spring, making them a great addition to any garden.
They come in a wide range of colours, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, and yellow.
Azaleas prefer acidic soil and partial shade but will grow well in pots, or even indoors in a conservatory.
These shrubs prefer cool, well-ventilated spaces, out of direct sunlight.

If you are growing your azaleas in pots, you will need to replace the top layer of compost with fresh ericaceous compost each spring.
Alternatively, completely repot the plant and feed it with an ericaceous fertiliser.
Water with rainwater from your water butt if you can, as tap water may contain too much calcium for these plants.
Buddleia, also known as the butterfly bush, is a fast-growing shrub that is a magnet for many insects, including butterflies. Its flowers come in a range of colours and it does best in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
Japanese Skimmia is a shade-loving, slow-growing shrub that produces fragrant leaves and creamy white flowers in spring, followed by red fruit that provides winter interest.
Understanding Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
One of the most appealing aspects of evergreen flowering shrubs is their versatility.
They come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colours, which means there is a shrub to suit every garden style and preference.
Some evergreen shrubs are compact and suitable for small gardens or containers, while others can grow to be quite large and make a statement in a larger landscape.
Varigated Foliage Adds Texture and Interest
When it comes to foliage, evergreen flowering shrubs offer a variety of textures and colours.
Some have glossy, dark green leaves, while others have variegated or silver-grey foliage. The leaves of some shrubs are needle-like, while others are broad and flat.
This diversity in foliage means that evergreen flowering shrubs can be used to create interesting contrasts and combinations in the garden.
Of course, the main attraction of evergreen flowering shrubs is their flowers.
These shrubs produce blooms in a range of colours, from white and pink to red and purple.
Some shrubs produce flowers in the spring, while others bloom in the summer or even the autumn. Some shrubs have large, showy flowers, while others produce clusters of smaller, delicate blooms.
Popular Types of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
Evergreen flowering shrubs are an excellent choice for adding colour and interest to a garden throughout the year. Here are some of the most popular types of evergreen flowering shrubs:
Camellia
Camellias are a popular choice for their beautiful, showy flowers that bloom in late winter and early spring. They come in a wide range of colours, including white, pink, red, and even bi-coloured varieties.
They prefer acidic soil and partial shade, making them an excellent choice for woodland gardens.
Camellias need to be watered well throughout the summer, and then they will reward you with lots of beautiful flowers.
It is best to plant them in the autumn when there’s still some warmth in the soil.
Then the roots can get themselves established before the winter cold sets in.
If you’re already successfully growing rhododendrons, then you’ll have the right acidic soil for camellias to thrive.
They do best in partial or dappled shade, so plant them away from full sunshine or harsh winds, in a nice sheltered spot.
Choosing Evergreen Shrubs as Container Plants
If you are looking for container plants, then camellias make an excellent choice.
Another lovely feature of the camellia is that their flowers bloom early in the season when little else is showing much interest in flowering.
They will need to be fed in the spring with an ericaceous fertilizer.
Your camellias will not require much in the way of pruning, but you can prune them back after flowering to keep them in your desired shape and size.

Believe it or not, Camellias can live up to 200 years, if conditions are right. They will grow no more than 6 metres in height.
Some Camellia species, especially sasanqua, can be grown as hedges, topiaries and espaliers, so they are a very flexible evergreen shrub for your garden.
There are approximately 300 species of Camellia to choose from but the most popular types are Sasanqua, japonica and reticulata.
Rhododendron
Rhododendrons are a classic choice for adding colour to a garden.
They bloom in late spring and early summer, producing large flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white. They prefer acidic soil and partial shade, making them an excellent choice for woodland gardens.
They are a pretty hardy plant, and will generally tolerate full sun for a large part of the day.
Every year your rhododendrons will benefit from the application of a few inches of well-rotted mulch- (Click here to be taken to my article about how to make your own.)
They can be planted in the autumn, from September right through to December.
Spring planting can take place in March or April- just avoid planting in the hot weather during the summer.
Remember to make sure that rhododendrons are planted in acidic soil, and then they will reward you with lots of bright, beautiful flowers. Ensure to keep them well-watered with rainwater from your water butt.
Container Planting Rhododendrons
If you’re planting in containers, the rhododendron is a good choice.

Each year you will need to replace the top layer of compost with peat-free ericaceous compost, or completely repot the plant and feed it with an ericaceous fertiliser.
Your rhododendrons won’t need pruning, but simply remove the deadheads when the flowers have died off.
A Popular Evergreen Flowering Shrub: Mahonia
Mahonia is an evergreen shrub that blooms in late winter and early spring, producing fragrant yellow flowers.
It prefers partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. Planting should take place between May and September.

Your mahonia will flower during those cold winter months from November through to March, bringing colour to your garden during those grey, chilly days.
Mahonia needs to be planted in a generous hole with well-rotted compost and a sprinkling of mycorrhizal fungi.
These plants will need to be pruned regularly to promote good growth and remove dead wood. A good layer of well-rotted mulch should be applied annually, both in the spring and the autumn.
If you’re interested in promoting wildlife in your garden, then the mahonia is a good choice, as its flowers offer pollen to winter-active bees and other pollinators when there’s little else in bloom.
Holly: A favourite Evergreen Flowering Shrub
Holly is popular for its glossy green foliage and bright red berries. It prefers well-drained soil and partial shade.
Once established, you’ll find that it grows quickly.
You should plant it during the winter, from November through to February and prune it in early spring.
When you’re ready to plant your holly, dig a generous hole and fill it with well-rotted compost before placing your plant.
Then back fill the hole and firm the soil down well around the base.

Holly is very easy to grow and can be clipped into architectural shapes and hedges.
If you are looking for a dense screening plant, then Holly is a good choice. It grows quite slowly and can be pruned in late summer.
Holly Berries for Christmas Decorations
The beautiful red berries that we associate with Christmas are produced in late autumn to mid-winter on the female plants.
If you are hoping to get some for your decorations, then you’ll need to plant both a male and a female plant to ensure cross-pollination.
To figure out which plants are male and which are female, look at the stamens of the flowers: the males have more prominent stamens.
Heather: A Favourite Choice of Flowering Shrub

Heather is a low-growing evergreen shrub that blooms in late summer and early autumn, producing masses of tiny pink, white, or purple flowers, which the bees love.
They prefer well-drained acidic soil and full sun, making them an excellent choice for rock gardens.
There are different types of heathers, but it is the erica heathers that you need if you’re looking for flowers during the winter and spring, to bring some colour into your wintery garden.
The Daboecia heathers will flower in spring, summer or autumn, so check the name label when you’re making your choices at the garden centre.
Heather Needs Acidic Soil
Plant heather in acidic soil with plenty of well-rotted compost.
(If you’re unsure of whether your garden is acid or alkali, you can buy a simple testing kit by clicking here)
Bed your heather in with a good layer of leaf mould to keep them flourishing. Heathers are a very popular plant with so many gardeners because of their hardiness, different colours and versatility.
They are suitable for rock gardens and borders and also make an attractive feature plant in container gardens.
To care for your heather, give it a good layer of leaf mulch each year. If you’re growing it in pots, then apply a fertiliser designed for ericaceous plants each growing season.

When the flowering season is over, you should cut back the plants to the base, as they don’t grow well from old wood. However, you don’t need to do this to tree heather (erica arborea.)
Heather is a wonderfully hardy plant and should flower and return for you, year after year.
If you notice it’s looking a little tired and yellow, then a good dose of fertiliser suitable for ericaceous plants should pep it up.
Lavandula
Lavender is an evergreen shrub that blooms in summer, producing fragrant purple flowers. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun, making it an excellent choice for herb gardens.
Lavandula is a massively popular choice for so many gardeners because of its lovely scent- and the bees love it, too!
Lavandula Prefers Slightly Alkaline Soil
It’s easy to grow, both in pots and borders, where it prefers slightly alkaline soil.
Plant in the spring, into well-drained soil. Lavender will not tolerate too much moisture around its root ball, so you may wish to add a couple of handfuls of builders’ sand to the hole, to improve the drainage.

Credit for image to Manfredrichter on Pixabay
Lavender responds well to being clipped and can be grown to form hedges of fragrant purple flowers.
A very hardy shrub; it can survive drought and heat.
If you feed it regularly with plant food, your lavender will thrive and produce plenty of delicate flowers.
Because it is accustomed to dry conditions, you will not need to water your lavender plants too much- make sure you allow the soil to dry before you water again.
Prune lightly once the plants are showing new growth in the spring to encourage branching and greater flower production in the summer.
Then throughout the summer, you can clip off finished flowers and dead stems to promote more prolific growth.
Pieris Japonica
Pieris Japonica is an evergreen shrub that blooms in late winter and early spring, producing fragrant white or pink flowers.

The Pieris prefers acidic soil and partial shade and can be grown both in your borders or in pots.
If you are going for the container garden option, then grow Pieris in peat-free ericaceous soil.
When you’re planting Pieris, add a generous layer of leaf mulch or bark chippings around the plant, firm it in well and water generously. You will need to mulch your plants each spring with well-rotted leaf mould or bark chippings to keep the PH of the soil low and remove any frost-damaged foliage and faded flowers.
Viburnum Tinus: A Flowering Shrub for All Seasons
Viburnum tinus is an evergreen shrub that blooms in winter and spring, producing clusters of small white or pink flowers.
Viburnum is a very popular choice amongst gardeners as it produces fruits, fragrance and flowers, providing interest right through the year. It’s also a versatile and easy shrub to grow.
There are many different varieties of Viburnum: both evergreen and deciduous. The deciduous varieties make attractive flowering hedges, whereas the small, scented varieties are a popular choice for patio containers.
Viburnum Prefers Well-Drained Soil
It prefers well-drained soil and full sun or partial shade, making it an excellent choice for mixed borders.
Their bright flowers and fragrance attract bees and other pollinators throughout the flowering season.
You should plant deciduous viburnums in the autumn to early spring, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or water-logged.
The evergreen varieties are best planted in early spring or autumn. Most viburnums benefit from planting in an open, sunny spot, and frequent watering.
Most varieties of viburnums need little or no feeding, but you should apply fertiliser and a good layer of mulch each spring to encourage new growth. When applying the mulch, it’s advisable to leave a circle around the base of the plant uncovered to prevent rotting.
Berberis
Berberis is an evergreen shrub that blooms in spring, producing clusters of yellow or orange flowers.

Credit for image to Wikimediaimages on PIxabay
It prefers well-drained soil and full sun or partial shade, making it an excellent choice for mixed borders.
However, it will also grow well in containers and rock gardens, so it’s a very versatile choice for gardeners.
It can even be grown to form a dense hedge to provide privacy and its spiny foliage will discourage intruders.
Berberis Aren’t Fussy About Soil Types
Berberis can be deciduous or evergreen, and as the varieties range from very large to dwarf shrubs, there’s a variety to suit every gardener’s needs.
Additionally, these plants are not fussy about soil types, so should thrive in any garden. However, don’t plant them in a particularly cold or exposed site, as they are prone to damage by frost.
Birds and insects love the flowers and berries, and the dense foliage provides great nesting sites, too.
The deciduous varieties are best planted when they are dormant and leafless- between October and April, as long as the ground isn’t water-logged or frozen.
The evergreen varieties can be planted in October or November, or March-April time, when the warmer soil will aid the development of the root system.
All berberis varieties do best in well-drained soil. If you’re planting into a container, then use soil-based compost.
In the early months, you’ll need to water your berberis regularly until it gets established.
After that, only water during prolonged spells of dry weather, giving it a good soaking once or twice a week, as opposed to more frequent watering.
Container-grown plants will need the soil to be kept moist throughout the year.
Apply Mulch Each Spring
Each spring, apply a good layer of mulch around your berberis plants, taking care to avoid banking it up too high around the base, which can cause rotting.
This will help to smother the dreaded weeds and improve the quality of the soil. Your container-grown berberis will benefit from a liquid feed in the spring and summer.
Your deciduous Berberis can be pruned in mid-to-late winter when it is dormant and leafless. Mid-summer is the time to remove any dead wood.
Your evergreen Berberis should be pruned in early to mid-summer, immediately after flowering.
Alternatively, you can prune in autumn or winter after fruiting, to leave the berries for the birds.
If you are thinking about the colour scheme of your garden, here are some ideas:
Colour Varieties
Red
Red is a bold and striking colour that adds a touch of drama to any garden. Some popular evergreen shrubs that produce red flowers include the Camellia Sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ and the Rhododendron ‘Nova Zembla’.
Orange

Orange is a warm and inviting colour that is perfect for creating a welcoming atmosphere in your garden.
The Azalea ‘Gibraltar’ and the Rhododendron ‘Crest’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce beautiful orange flowers.
White
White is a classic and timeless colour that can create a sense of elegance and sophistication in your garden.
The Camellia Japonica ‘Alba Plena’ and the Daphne Odora ‘Aureomarginata’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce stunning white flowers.
Pink
Pink is a soft and romantic colour that can add a touch of femininity to your garden.
The Camellia Sasanqua ‘Pink-a-Boo’and the Azalea ‘Hino Crimson’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce beautiful pink flowers.
Purple
Purple is a regal and majestic colour that can add a touch of sophistication to your garden. The Rhododendron ‘Purple Splendour’ and the Camellia Japonica ‘Nuccio’s Gem’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce stunning purple flowers.
Golden
Golden flowers can add a touch of sunshine to your garden, even on the cloudiest of days.
The Mahonia ‘Charity’ and the Osmanthus Heterophyllus ‘Goshiki‘ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce beautiful golden flowers.
Variegated
Variegated evergreen shrubs are a popular choice for gardeners who want to add a touch of interest to their landscape. The Euonymus ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ and the Pieris ‘Forest Flame’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce stunning variegated foliage.
Yellow
Yellow is a cheerful and optimistic colour that can brighten up any garden. The Forsythia ‘Lynwood Gold’ and the Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce beautiful yellow flowers.
Grey
Grey foliage can add a touch of sophistication and elegance to your garden. The Lavender ‘Hidcote’ and the Santolina Chamaecyparissus are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce stunning grey foliage.
Magenta
Magenta is a bold and vibrant colour that can add a touch of drama to your garden. The Azalea ‘Girard’s Fuchsia‘ and the Rhododendron ‘Roseum Elegans’ are two popular evergreen shrubs that produce stunning magenta flowers.
Uses of Evergreen Flowering Shrubs
Knowing what function you want your plant to fulfil in your garden will help you to make suitable selections. Evergreen flowering shrubs have a variety of uses in landscaping and gardening.
Ground Cover
Many evergreen flowering shrubs make excellent ground covers, spreading out to cover large areas of soil and suppressing weeds.
For example, Erica x darleyensis is a popular choice for winter ground cover, with its small pink or white flowers adding colour to the garden during the colder months.
Hedges
Evergreen flowering shrubs can also be used to create attractive hedges, providing privacy and structure to a garden.
Cherry Laurel is a large evergreen shrub that works well as a hedge or screen, with its broad leaves and long-lasting white flowers.
Pots
For those with limited space, evergreen flowering shrubs can be grown in pots or containers on a patio or balcony.

Camellias, for example, are a popular choice for container gardening, with their showy flowers and glossy leaves adding a touch of elegance to any outdoor space.
House
Evergreen flowering shrubs can also be grown indoors as houseplants, adding colour and interest to a room.
Azaleas, for example, are compact evergreen shrubs that are smothered in bright flowers in spring and are perfect for growing in a damp, shady part of the house.
Perennial
Many evergreen flowering shrubs are also perennials, meaning they come back year after year.
This makes them a great investment for any garden, providing reliable colour and interest for many years to come. Buddleia, for example, is a fast-growing shrub that comes in a range of colours, including purple, pink, white and yellow and is a magnet for many insects, including butterflies.
Conclusion
Overall, evergreen flowering shrubs are a versatile and attractive addition to any garden, offering a range of uses and benefits.
I hope that you have found my article about evergreen flowering shrubs useful to help you make the correct choices for your garden.
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