Backyard Landscaping Ideas - A Guide To Evergreen Trees And Shrubs
By Thad Pickering

Evergreen trees and shrubs are generally more expensive than their
counterparts, although many feel that they are well worth the extra
expense not only for their year-round beauty, but also their
reliability and longevity. Evergreens can range all the way from
broadleaved shrubs like rhododendron to the tall pines and spruces that
many people think of as simply "evergreens".

Perhaps the most
common of evergreen trees is the pine. It's noted for its long, soft
needles and its rapid growth. In fact, they often attain 60 to 80 ft.
maturity very quickly.Red pine is popular as well and useful for
creating textured backgrounds and windbreaks. The Ponderosa pine is a
more compact tree that is often used for wind protection and ornamental
purposes. The Austrian or black pine, with its spreading branches is
very commonly used in the Midwest.

Perhaps the most widely
planted evergreen that is used for a windbreak is the Norway spruce
tree. It grows very fast, it's very hardy, has short dark green
needles, and is shaped like a pyramid. The Black Hills spruce tree is
also very tough and resistant to drought. It grows much slower than the
Norway spruce but can still achieve a height of 40 ft. in time.

White
spruce on the other hand, can mature close to 60 to 70 ft. in height
and is often used in landscaping designs. Colorado blue spruce is
generally hardy, however it does suffer some in extreme heat and
drought conditions.

Red Cedar is perhaps the most popular of the
evergreen Cedar trees. It's often used as an ornamental tree for both
hedges and windbreaks. It tends to be very tough and hardy, and takes
winter very well.

Perhaps the best overall Evergreen tree for
windbreaks and screening is the Douglas fir tree. It's hardy and
drought resistant, grows fast, has a pyramid shape, and looks great in
most landscape designs. The Balsam fir, which is also known as the
Christmas tree, is well-known for its fragrance and unique appearance.
On the other hand, the white fir tree has an attractive silver color
instead.

The Juniper family of Evergreen trees is often used in
planting, with the tall types such as the upright Juniper being used as
a textured background, and the spreading types like the Pfitzer juniper
being used for groundcover and edgings.

Yew, has thick glossy
needles and upward reaching branches, and can be used as both a shrub
and a tree. In fact, they can even grow well in sun and shade, making
it one of the most versatile evergreens.

Evergreens as a whole
can be adversely affected by hot, dry weather conditions and need to be
watered every couple of weeks or so at this time. Be sure to water it
enough so that the moisture will reach deep into the ground at least 6
in. or so. Applying a layer of mulch in dry weather can also help
protect against moisture loss during this period.

It's a good
idea to prune evergreens in the late spring just before the new buds
appear. And in the late fall give them a good deep watering to help
prevent the branches drying out and cracking under the weight of snow
or the force of wind during the winter.

As you can see, there are
a lot of varieties of evergreen trees that accomplish many different
tasks in a home landscaping design. Hopefully this article will help
you choose the one that will work best for your home and help you care
for it properly too.