Boxwood

Someone gave me Boxwood as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit. The key discovery was pruning at the right time of year for the specific species — once that clicked, the plant tran…

I brought Boxwood home six months ago with high hopes and almost no knowledge. The first challenge was understanding pruning at the right time of year for the specific species — something I hadn't expected to matter so much. Once I got that right, the whole thing settled down. I grow it in a mixed …

I've been growing Boxwood for a full year now and want to capture what each season offered. early spring flowering on bare branches before leaves appear was the clear high point — everything you're told about Boxwood at that time of year is true. But the plant has something to offer in every season,…

I've grown several varieties within the Boxwood family and have some observations to share. permanent woody structure providing year-round garden framework varies noticeably between them, more than catalogue descriptions suggest. The care fundamentals are shared — pruning at the right time of year f…

People describe Boxwood as easy and I'd push back on that slightly. deadheading where appropriate to extend the flowering season needs consistent attention and box blight and box moth caterpillar on Buxus species can undermine progress quickly if ignored. Where Boxwood is genuinely underrated is th…

Boxwood is clearly a great plant — I can see that from other people's results. Mine has been decent but not spectacular, and I think I know why. I underestimated the importance of mulching around the base annually to feed and retain moisture in the early stages and paid for it. dieback from harsh w…

I had a serious problem with box blight and box moth caterpillar on Buxus species on my Boxwood earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational. Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate permanent woody structur…

I nearly gave up on Boxwood after three months of mediocre results. Then I focused properly on pruning at the right time of year for the specific species and within a few weeks the difference was dramatic. It now lives in a mixed shrub border providing year-round structure and has genuinely transfo…

I don't have a garden so a mixed shrub border providing year-round structure is my only option for Boxwood. It absolutely works — with the right attention to watering in dry spells in the first two seasons after planting you can get excellent results in containers. generally low maintenance once es…

After growing Boxwood for over a year here is what I'd tell a beginner. First: deadheading where appropriate to extend the flowering season is not optional — it's the foundation everything else depends on. Second: box blight and box moth caterpillar on Buxus species will happen and you should know …