Nothing Beats Boxwood–and Here's Why

"Everyone says fall is a better time because plants are going dormant, but that's not necessarily true with bigger evergreens," says landscape architect Marley Fields Slutz of Memphis. "If you have good irrigation, then you can plant boxwoods during the majority of the year." Avoid planting them in serious heat, and water about once a week for the first year, less in wet periods.

Well-drained soil with lots of organic matter is best. Fertilizing is seldom necessary. Most boxwoods prefer some shade, but be sure to check your selection, as some handle sun better than others. To minimize bronzing of leaves in the winter, avoid spots that get a ton of afternoon sunlight from the southwest.

While it's something to be aware of, don't let it scare you. Look out for black or dark brown streaks on the stems or rapid loss of leaves. Common boxwoods (Buxus sempervirens), like the English boxwood, are more susceptible. More resistant kinds include the Japanese and Korean types—look for selections like "Green Beauty" and "Winter Gem."

We polled some of the South's top landscape and garden designers to discover their favorites.

"With its extremely slow growth rate, "Grace Hendrick Phillips" is perfect for short hedges or parterres and doesn't need constant clipping. It also has much smaller and narrower foliage, which contributes an interesting texture to a garden's design." —Joseph Hillenmeye; Lexington, KY; josephhillenmeyer.com

"My go-to boxwood selection is "Justin Brouwers." It's easy to maintain, hardy, and well suited for low hedges or borders that run along perennial beds." —Marley Fields Slutz; Memphis, TN; fieldslandarch.com

"I like using variegated English boxwood as a punctuation point. It adds a happy pop to a sphere or topiary shape at the end of a hedge." —Cedar Baldridge; Houston, TX; baldridgelandscape.com

"An excellent hybrid, "Green Velvet" combines several sought-after features of boxwoods. The glossy green leaves round nicely and hold up well through the winter and our humid summers." —Abraham Odrezin; Birmingham, AL; lorberbaumodrezin.com

"With its dense foliage and small size, "Baby Gem" is great for low hedges. It requires only one or two trimmings per year. Once established, it's also quite drought tolerant." —Troy Rhone; Birmingham, AL; troyrhone.com

"Offering a unique upright, conical shape, "Dee Runk" boxwoods are ideal for using as focal points on the corners of parterre gardens or to frame a walkway." —Bennett Saunders; Piney River, VA; saundersbrothers.com