Common Box is a vigorous, evergreen, bushy, upright shrub or small tree and in many ways, is very uninspiring, producing green leaves and insignificant flowers, yet it is a very popular, widespread plant. The reason that it is so popular is that it makes excellent hedges, especially dwarf ones, and is superb for creating topiary specimens.

As a free growing bush or tree, Buxus Sempervirens will not need pruning, but if used as a hedge or topiary shape, it will need trimming once or twice a year. The slowness and evenness of growth means that the shape of the plant is maintained for a long time without any maintenance.

Bare-rooted specimens can be planted out during the winter, as long as the weather is not too extreme. Container grown plants can be planted out at any time, but will need to be kept watered in hot weather. Once plants become established, there is no need for any extra watering. Box will grow well in sun or partial shade but can become drawn if there is too much shade.

As well as the main species, there are a large number of varieties. The main one of interest is Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’, which is a dwarf form that is ideal for creating low hedges, which is excellent for outlining paths or beds. A lot of the others are variations in leaf colour, including variegated and golden ones, which can be useful for winter interest. The wood from Box is extremely hard and is sought after for making artists’ tools and for wood engraving.

Growing Requirements

Soil
Common Box will grow in most types of soil, including chalky ones, but will do best where the soil has had plenty of well-rotted organic matter added. It is quite a hungry plant and will need regular, annual mulches of compost or organic material to keep it healthy and vigorous.

Size
Plants, if left unclipped, can eventually reach a height of 12ft (3.5m) and spread up to 10ft (3m).

Propagation
To increase the number of plants, take semi-ripe cuttings in the summer and root them in a propagator or cold frame.

Family: Buxaceae
Genus: Buxus

The Leyland Cypress tree is an accidental Victorian hybrid of the Nootka Cypress and the Monterey Cypress, first discovered and grown by C.J. Leyland in England, and is a very fast growing evergreen conifer. It makes a splendid dense hedge or an equally fine specimen tree and are among the most widely used hedge plants throughout the world.

The growth rate of Leylandii can be as much as 2.5-3ft (75-90cm) a year and if grown as a hedge or windbreak, it will need to be regularly clipped to keep it relatively low and narrow. To grow as a 6ft (1.8m) hedge, the planting distance should be about 2ft (60cm) apart. A rough guide for growing taller hedges would be to plant about a quarter of the proposed height apart.

Leylandii hedges are grown as either the common green variety or the golden Leylandii Castlewellan Gold. The golden variety grows slightly slower than the green one but will bush out more as it grows upwards so will still form a dense evergreen hedge quickly.

A scientific study to find the tree that was most effective at absorbing air pollution discovered that it was the Leylandii. It can absorb several times as much dust, smoke, and carbon dioxide as the average oak!

Growing Requirements

Soil
Leylandii will grow in most soil types, even in quite poor soils, as long as the soil is well-drained but it will not tolerate chalky soils. Grow in full sun or partial shade.

Size
If left untrimmed a Leylandii will ultimately reach 100ft (35m) and spread about 32ft (10m) by the time it is mature (10-20 years).

Pruning
The hedge will need to be trimmed a minimum of twice a year to keep it in shape. Make the last cut in either late summer or early autumn and wear gloves whilst cutting the hedge as the leaves can cause skin irritation.

Genus: Cupressaceae
Family: Cupressus