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Landscape Design Garden Clinic

is it necessary to match boxwood?

Dorian W (PNW 8b)

9 months ago

Pnw 8b.

I have a box hedge planted by a landscaper eons ago. I want to add a few box balls to another part of the garden across the hedge to maintain continuity. I don’t know what kind of box I have.

I have been leaning toward green velvet. But I don’t know if it will match the existing hedge or not. I won’t be making a hedge - just asking a few balls here and there.

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

9 months ago

If you are not incorporating it as part of an existing hedge, then the variety really doesn't matter much. I'd make sure it was a type that is more resistant to box blight, however.

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Comments (9)

Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
9 months ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), I will look for a boxwood blight resistant variety. I thought it was an issue primarily in England.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 months ago
" I thought it was an issue primarily in England. "

Unfortunately not. In addition to the UK, Europe and New Zealand, boxwood blight is widespread along much of the east coast and has been present in the PNW (including BC) since 2011. Both WSU and OSU extension services have published fact sheets about it. It also affects sweet box, Sarcococca, as well. There is no cure.
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
floraluk2
9 months ago
last modified: 9 months ago
And now we have the invasive Box Moth too ...

Taken yesterday. Complete defoliation almost always leading to death.
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked floraluk2
Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
9 months ago
wow @floraluk2. That is something..... Sorry this has happened. reading up on invasive box moth.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 months ago
Box just has too many issues for me. Smells nasty in the heat of the summer sun, grows as slow as molasses, is plagued by box blight, box moth, boxwood mite, psyllids, leaf miners, not well suited to much shade, not terrifically drought tolerant and attracts bees by the billions when in flower.

I am much more inclined to Japanese holly as a less problematic alternative to box.
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
9 months ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), I was going to go buy a bunch of green velvet box plants this weekend, but now I am putting that on hold. I need to add structure to my mostly shady part of the garden that is across my box hedge, Perhaps I should look into dwarf azaleas or rhodies and not worry about matching the box. Can japanese holly be shaped into balls?

I am not married to the balls idea per se. But perhaps holly balls...
0
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 months ago
Japanese holly - Ilex crenata - looks a LOT like boxwood. Leaves are spineless, of similar size, a bit heavier in texture and arranged alternately rather than in opposing pairs. At a distance it would be hard to tell them apart. And it can be used for all the same purposes as boxwood - low hedges, topiary (balls, cones, spirals, lollipops, etc), vertical accents - and without box's many issues.
Dorian W (PNW 8b) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Dorian W (PNW 8b)
Original Author
8 months ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), ditching the box. Getting a ilex crenata. Thank you!!

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