evergreen shrubs - A Selection

This new photinia is a real show stopper. In fact it was awarded a gold medal at its first international trade show! The heavily marbled foliage of dark green and cream colours look great but the big 'wow' comes from the large bright pink new foliage which emerges in spring. The bright red shoots are just the icing on the cake! Compact and bushy habit. Flowers in May. Height 175cm; spread 100cm.

With its shiny leaves catching the sunlight and exquisite blooms opening to expose their white outer petals and creamy-yellow ruffled centres, Camellia 'Brushfield's Yellow' is sure to give you a spectacular spring display. Camellia japonica is perhaps one of the most well-known cultivars of this stunning evergreen shrub. Make this shrub the focal point of a spring display bed, and it will provide appeal well into the summer. Height: 400cm (157). Spread: 250cm (98)

Large, carmine-red blooms with contrasting golden stamens create an explosion of spring colour! Each flower measures up to 15cm diameter making a head-turning focal point.

Elegant and eye-catching, Rhododendron 'Persil' is a deciduous shrub from the popular Azalea group. Clusters of snowy white, trumpet shaped blooms appear in May, each splashed with a bright golden flare. This is definitely one for a prominent position where its spring blooms and fabulous autumn foliage can be fully appreciated. Grow it in acid borders and woodland gardens. Awarded an RHS AGM for its superb garden performance, this hardy shrub makes a particularly useful specimen plant for a

An award-winning evergreen shrub with a compact habit which is perfect for smaller growing spaces and patio pots. Rhododendron yakushimanum 'Soft Pink' produces a mass of rounded clusters of light pink, funnel-like flowers which compliments the deep green foliage wonderfully. Sure to create a show stopping display from late spring to early summer! Height: 100cm (39in). Spread: 150cm (59in).

A beautiful surprise to brighten up late autumn days, Camellia sasanqua 'Strawberry Swirl' begins to show its exquisite pink flowers from late October, continuing through November and December when little else is happening in the garden.

The RHS AGM Ceanothus 'Italian Skies' has glossy, dark green leaves and a mass of deep blue flowers in April and May. This medium-sized shrub adds late-spring colour to borders while also providing year-round evergreen structure. It, like all Ceanothus, attracts pollinating insects and is always buzzing with bees. It's ideal for a sunny spot in the garden, where it'll provide a lovely backdrop for summer perennials. Height: 150 cm (59). Spread: 250 cm (98).

Repeat flowering semi-evergreen red azalea

In early summer, beautiful deep crimson flowers cover this broom, making it a must-have addition to any garden. Cytisus 'Boskoop Ruby' is a compact, easy-to-grow shrub that tolerates full sun. Its low maintenance requirements make it ideal for beginning gardeners, and it returns year after year with a dazzling display of color! Height: 150 cm (59). Spread 150cm (59).

Soft pink blooms open from pointed buds in spring, contrasting beautifully with the dark green foliage. Camellia x williamsii 'Bowen Bryant' is a particularly elegant variety with a strong-growing, upright habit.

Rhododendron 'Magic Flute' generates multitudes of double purple-pink blooms in late April. This hardy evergreen, which belongs to the famous Azalea family, requires almost no maintenance once established. It's also a great container shrub because of its compact and spreading tendency. This colourful species is perfect for adding a splash of colour to acid borders, rockeries, and woodlands. Height: 40 cm (16). Spread: 80 cm (31).

Viburnum opulus 'Compactum' is an extremely appealing, convenient, medium-sized viburnum. It has white flower blooms in summer and green leaves that turn purplish pink in autumn. Bright red berries replace the flowers after they have bloomed. It's no surprise that it has received an RHS AGM. It has also been included in the RHS's list of plants for pollinators. This sturdy shrub is also useful as a hedge plant! Height and spread: 1.5m (5').

In May, flattened 'lacecap' flower heads beautify the Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum 'Pink Beauty.' against a backdrop of dark green, richly veined foliage, the blossoms start out white and gradually turn delicate pink. If female plants are pollinated, clusters of little red fruits that ripen to black may occur following flowering. This hardy deciduous shrub can be found in mixed borders and forest gardens. Later in the year, as the leaves of this plant begin to turn reddish-purple in the

Rhododendron 'Luzi' is a tough, evergreen azalea with a bushy, upright form. It has a year-round covering of tiny, glossy, rich green leaves. This attractive shrub is a great asset to acid borders, providing grace and appeal on top of the colour and structure that an evergreen Azalea should provide. From late spring to early summer, clusters of funnel-shaped, pure white blooms appear. Height: 150cm (5'). Spread: 100cm (3').

Perfect symmetry and layers of crisply fashioned petals in a luminous creamy-yellow make Camellia ?Golden Anniversary? an exquisite variety.