There are over a dozen locations in Europe where fossils of boxwood have been found, some dating back to 22 million years! And it was the Egyptians, back in 4000 B.C., who first clipped buxus sempervirens into formal hedging. Homer wrote of boxwood in 1000 B.C. in the Iliad (in connection with yokes for the stallions used by the King of Troy).
If it was good enough for the King of Troy then it's good enough for every garden. A boxwood hedge is dependable and easy to grow. Buxus in Latin means box. The Greeks and Romans used it to make decorative boxes. Combs made from boxwood have been found, dating from 10,000 years ago. Springs of boxwood have been found in the tombs of Romans. A very old plant indeed, and its longevity explains why it has been used for centuries in formal gardens.
Because of its Durability, Boxwood Shrubs can be Used in a Variety of Ways Including Topiary
From topiary to hedging, from the whimsical to the formal, boxwood is ideal. Gardens exist in Europe where birds and squirrels and even elephants made of boxwood frolic on stately lawns. Good topiary only depends on basic know-how with pruning. Remember Edward Scissorhands? Box is also used widely as a specimen for bonsai trees because of its adaptability to pruning and shaping. From Wairarapa, NZ to the Williamette Valley of Oregon wonderful boxwood nurseries abound.
Boxwood is a Slow-growing and Low Maintenance Wintergreen Shrub Ideal for Gardens
Boxwood is most suitable to a clipped hedge or for shaping, and is ideal for putting around borders of flower beds or herb gardens or rose gardens. Often used as a wintergreen shrub for containers, it can be sited at either side of an entrance-way and makes for a rather posh statement. In summer it can be under planted with white annuals like impatiens or in winter with white winter cyclamen, for example. Not a royal that needs too much attention, it is one of the few plants that although it looks regal is relatively easy to grow.
Boxwood Shrubs Grow in Most Soil Conditions
Buxus sempervirens, the Latin name for boxwoods, can grow in the full sun, although it does better in shade or partial shade. It is hardy in European climates but it does need some protection from strong winter winds which can have the effect of turning the green leaves bronze. If grown in open sites where wind is not a feature boxwood will thrive. In the summer, if grown in full sun, the plants will need some protection from the heat, especially the roots, as the shrub is shallow rooted. Mulching with bark mulch is ideal. If you are planting a boxwood hedge make sure the plants are well watered in the first summer or until they become established. They do require well drained soil and don’t like to have their ‘feet’ wet, but can be allowed to dry out a bit between watering. Usually, a trimming once a year is sufficient to keep the hedge looking neat and crisp but sometimes a second pruning is necessary.
Cuttings take root very easily and before long the cuttings will be big enough to be potted up and ideal for hedging. Boxwood plants make ideal presents, summer, winter or fall. The evergreen boxwood, the world’s oldest ornamental garden shrub, is noble and worthy and an easy to grow plant for landscaping your garden.
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