Need Evergreen Shrub that is not holly!

[nellie923]

I'm planning a rose garden in a sunny bed (full sun) that I can see out my office window at my home. In the back of where the roses will be is a privet hedge that is very old, but gives good privacy and screens my house from the street. But it's not very attractive, so I want to plant a row of hedges between the roses and the privet that will help hide the uglier parts of the privet and provide background color (evergreen) for the rose bed. The ideal height is about 8-10 and fast growing would be the best'. I have looked at Burford Holly (and Stevens) but I'm not fond of sticky holly. Yew is a possibility but it grows very slowly. I considered Skip Laurel. Any other ideas or advice? I'm in Zone 8 for heat and sometimes gets to 0 during winter cold snaps (we just had one last week!) Any advice appreciated! Thanks.

 

[Meadowlark]

Welcome @nellie923 from the Great state of Arkansas. We have a growing number of folks from your State here on the Forums.

We use a small juniper that fills that purpose here and it spreads out nicely to fill in. Very low maintenance

 

[UrbanWild]

My friend a block away had all of her skip laurels (about 40 of them) killed back to the ground last winter. They're bouncing back after a year of growth but I wouldn't consider them stable enough for a lasting hedge if they're dying to the ground any time temps plummet.

Have you thought about box? They also have temperature issues but seem more tolerant and better suited to bouncing back.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have some nice variegated box, bit far to drop by for some, but it is not fast growing. If it is to plant in front and break up the boring privet how about some buddleia, fast growing and there are some attractive cultivars. The other possibility that struck me was a bit of trellis and some honeysuckle. Planting in front of the hedge you don't need to make a second hedge, having gaps and things at different distances will give it some depth, and you could have some tall annuals like sunflower in the gaps for the summer
Fast growing, tallish and easily pruned back, how about leylandii, they are not all green, there are golden ones.
Rambling roses? They would grow through the privet.

 

[cpp gardener]

How about:
Nandina (there are fruitless varieties if invasiveness is a problem)
Abelia
Mountain Mahogany - Cercocarpus ledifolius
Yaupon Holly - all the toughness of holly without the spines

 

[nellie923]

Thanks to all for your input. I have decided to go with sun loving camelias, after talking to my knowledgeable nursery tech. I was leaning toward those plants anyway, but she pushed me over the edge. Not a huge investment, so we will see how it goes! Thanks again!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Nice, we have a couple of camelias growing just in front of our hedge bordering next door, the buds appreciate a bit of frost protection from the hedge, and it is a good bit of early colour.