Evergreen Trees

Acacia dealbata

Mimosa Tree

Acacia dealbata provides a vibrant burst of sunshine during the winter months as its highly distinctive flowers appear in January. The flowers resemble small, fluffy spheres and they are golden yellow in colour; they are highly fragrant and their sweet scent can be a real treat for the senses over the winter months. In fact, the essence of the flowers, called ‘cassie’, is used in perfumes and fragrances around the world. Aside from human uses, bees and insects love the Mimosa flowers too, and it’s a valuable source of late winter fuel for the bees in particular. Aside from the floral interest, the foliage offers a healthy dose of year-round colour. The pinnate leaves are large with feathery leaflets: the foliage colour is a glaucous blue-green, but can sometimes be silvery green. The leaves make the perfect foil for the vibrant winter flowers. In terms of its habit, the Acacia dealbata will grow to have widely spaced branches and it will become a small-medium sized tree. This Australian native is half-hardy, so it will need some protection in exposed sites. An ideal situation would be to plant it in a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall for optimum protection. If you want a planting partner, we would recommend the Eucalyptus Gunnii as it also has glaucous blue foliage. Equally, the Cytisus Battandieri works really well due to its vivid floral summer display, as you get bright yellow flowers in winter from the Acacia and vibrant yellow flowers in summer from the Cytisus. Common Name: Mimosa or Silver WattleLatin Name: Acacia dealbataSoil: Any free draining soil.Position: Full sunHardiness: Half hardy. May need protection in very cold winters.Flowering Period: Late winter into springFlowering Colour: Small, yellow , fluffy ballsEventual Height/Spread: 8m (26ft) / 4m (14ft)Special features: An interesting small evergreen tree with small, yellow , fluffy balls

Cytisus battandieri

Pineapple Broom Tree

Cytisus battandieri, also known as the Pineapple Broom tree, is a semi-evergreen tree with highly scented yellow flowers. This tree makes a fantastic specimen and it is ideal for a sensory garden. The Pineapple Broom tree gets its unusual common name from the highly-fragranced flowers: they smell like cooked pineapple and carry the most deliciously sweet scent. The flowers are a truly eye-catching feature as they are a vivid golden yellow colour and they really stand out against the foil of the green foliage. The pea-like flowers are held in dense, upright clusters and they are present during June and July. If you want to attract wildlife to your garden, the scent of the flowers is somewhat irresistible to bees and you will find them buzzing around the flowers over summer. The summer flowers are accompanied by a mass of three-lobed silvery green-grey leaves, which can hold all year round in milder winters, making this a semi-evergreen tree. The leaves have the added attraction of a 'velvety' feel to them and they really set those summer flowers off beautifully. This Cytisus has an attractive open, spreading habit and makes an ideal lawn specimen. Equally, the 'Pineapple Broom Tree' is also a great choice for a sensory garden due to its wonderfully scented flowers. You could plant this tree on either side of a walkway or entrance to really benefit from the sweet fragrance of the flowers. In terms of partner planting, we would recommend the Laburnum Vossii as the pendant clusters of the Vossii sit beautifully against the silvery foliage of the Cytisus. Common Name: Pineapple Broom TreeLatin Name: Cytisus battandieriSoil: Any well drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: June to July/Yellow, erect clusters and are pineapple scented.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years: 5m/3mSpecial features: Very large pineapple scented flowers which grow in erect clusters

Magnolia grandiflora

Evergreen Magnolia Tree

The Magnolia grandiflora boasts the most beautiful, very large white flowers and glossy green foliage which holds all year round. A bold and bright tree that is perfect for adding interest in all seasons. You would be hard-pressed to find a flower as large and beautiful as this one in your average garden. The Magnolia grandiflora, also known as the 'Evergeen Magnolia', features colossal flowers, with some up to 25cm wide, which appear in late August- early September. The cup-shaped flowers have thick, creamy-white petals and really stand out. The flowers have an intense citrusy scent, with hints of lemon, which makes this the perfect choice for sensory planting. Another great feature of this tree is its very large leaves: the evergreen leaves are oblong-elliptic shaped and dark, glossy green in colour. The thick and waxy leaves often have reddish-brown hairs underneath and they offer a healthy dose of colour all year round. This tree grows to have a broad, conical shape and it’s fairly bushy, making a great screen. It looks simply stunning when paired with the Magnolia Exmouth, but if you want contrasting interest then we would recommend planting the 'Grandiflora' alongside the Photinia ‘Red Robin’ as the blushed foliage of this evergreen makes the perfect foil to the ‘Grandiflora’. Magnolia grandiflora can be trained against a wall or grown as freestanding rounded or conical large shrub or tree. Common Name: Evergreen Magnolia, Southern Magnolia, BullbayLatin Name: Magnolia grandifloraSoil: Moist, well-drained, tolerates chalkPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: August-September/WhiteHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 10 years: 3m/3m (Ultimately up to 15m but can be kept pruned.)Special features: Evergreen tree with intensely scented white flowers from mid summer to

Photinia Pink Marble

Pink Marble Cassini

The Pink Marble Cassini, scientifically known as Photinia x fraseri ‘Pink Marble’, is a striking addition to any garden. Thriving in well-drained soil and adaptable to full sun or partial shade, it features eye-catching variegated foliage that remains attractive throughout the year.

 The ‘Cassini’ is one of the best evergreen varieties for colour as new foliage emerges vivid pink and matures to a rich green with splashes of cream.During spring, the Pink Marble Cassini produces clusters of white blossoms, adding a touch of colour to your outdoor space. With its evergreen nature, this tree maintains its variegated appearance even in the cooler months.Reaching a height of 4 metres and spreading 3 metres over 20 years, the Pink Marble Cassini offers versatility and aesthetic appeal for various landscapes. 

This tree works well as a stand-alone specimen and it can even be planted in a large pot and situated on a sunny patio.

 This is a great choice for year round interest as the ‘Pink Marble’ will add an unusual splash of colour to your garden all year round. Can be grown as a shrub, hedge or tree (when purchased in tree form).  

Add a touch of elegance to your garden with this vibrant tree. Common Name: Pink Marble CassiniLatin Name: Photinia x fraseri ‘Pink Marble’Soil: Fertile well-drained soilPosition: Full sun, Sheltered positionHardiness: Hardy, frost hardy down to -8°CFlowering period: Mid springFlowering colour: WhiteEventual height/spread: 4m/3mSpecial features: Highly unusual evergreen foliage that is green and marbled with pink and white variegation 

Laurus nobilis

Bay Laurel

Common Name: Bay LaurelLatin Name: Laurus nobilisSoil: Any free drainingPosition: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Half-hardy, needs sheltering from strong windsFlowering period: Early summerFlowering colour: Pale yellowEventual height/spread after 20 years: 4-5m/3mThe Laurus nobilis is a handsome evergreen shrub or small tree. It features aromatic waxy green leaves, which are often used in cookery. Small clusters of creamy yellow flowers appear in early summer. The ‘Bay Laurel’ is perfect for screening; it is also used as part of herb garden or alongside roses to add structure to a border. This Laurel has been cultivated since the beginning of recorded history and was a key symbol of mythological history too. The Greek and Roman scholars are always depicted as wearing a wreath on the head which is made from bay leaves.

Acacia bailyana Purpurea

Cootamundra Wattle Tree

Common Name: Cootamundra WattleLatin Name: Acacia bailyana 'Purpurea'Soil: Any free draining soil.Position: Full sunHardiness: Half hardy. May need protection in very cold winters.Flowering Period: Late winter into springFlowering Colour: Small, yellow, fluffy ballsEventual Height/Spread: 7m / 4mSpecial features: A striking evergreen with feathery purple foliage.The Acacia bailyana 'Purpurea' is an eye-catching Acacia which boasts purple-tinged foliage; the stems are also purple, sometimes with a red flush, and the feathery leaves later turn to a grey-green colour once they have further developed. The contrast of the old and new foliage makes this a highly attractive ornamental tree. The 'Cootamundra Wattle', as it is commonly called, also offers winter interest with buttery-yellow flowers that appear in late winter and last into spring; the fluffy flowers are spherical in shape and they sit nestled amongst the winter foliage. This is the perfect tree for a sunny spot in the garden and it looks beautiful next to its more verdant relative, the Acacia dealbata, particularly when planted alternately. This Australian native is half-hardy, so it will need some protection in exposed sites; an ideal situation would be to plant it in a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall for optimum protection.

Magnolia grandiflora Goliath

Bullbay Goliath

Common Name: Bullbay Goliath Latin Name: Magnolia grandiflora 'Goliath' Soil: Moist, well-drained, tolerates chalkPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: August-September/ Creamy whiteHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 12m/12mSpecial features: Very large goblet-shaped creamy white flowers in late summer. As the name suggests, the 'Goliath' grows to be a tall, large and mighty tree that will become a real focal point of your garden. The glossy dark green leaves are extremely large and can be up to 25cm long on a mature specimen. With this being an evergreen variety, the leaves hold on the tree all year round which adds interest to your garden during the winter months. The flowers are arguably the finest feature of this tree as these are up to 30cm wide and are goblet-shaped, sweetly scented and creamy white in colour.

Eucalyptus pauciflora

Cabbage Gum Tree

Common Name: Cabbage Gum TreeLatin Name: Eucalyptus paucifloraSoil: Tolerant to a wide range of soilsPosition: Full sunHardiness: Very hardyEventual height/spread: 6m/6mSpecial features: Slow growing, small tree with leathery blue/green leaves. The trunk forms into a beautiful patchwork display of cream, grey and green.Eucalyptus pauciflora is a stunning tree with blended tones of green, blues and grey throughout the trunk and foliage. It provides a small, attractive tree to the garden with a broad headed growth habit. This is a very hardy evergreen tree.