Notebook

Create a formal look with statuary, fountains and clipped low hedges

If you’re looking for an alternative to Buxus sempervirens for fear of box blight, lots of lookalike evergreen shrubs fit the bill – and respond well to clipping. ● Ilex crenata: Known as Japanese box, this prickle-free holly has small, glossy green leaves. It grows well in full sun or part shade in moist but well-drained soil. H4m (13ft) S3m (10ft) ● Euonymus japonicus ‘Jean Hughes’: Dense evergreen shrub with small glossy evergreen leaves. Slow growth rate and compact habit, for sun or part shade. H and S1m (3ft 3in) ● Lonicera nitida: Dense, bushy fast-growing evergreen shrub. Ideal for sun or shady sites. Faster-growing than box so may require more frequent clipping. H and S3m (10ft) ● Osmanthus burkwoodii: Dense evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves and fragrant white flowers April-May. Grows in sun or part shade and fertile well-drained soil. Prune after flowering for more blooms the following year. H and S3m (10ft)