Evergreens for Every Garden

Except for those of you who are currently busy putting in your cool season flowers and vegetables, the verdict is split on whether there are 4 seasons of interest in the garden. Those of us staring at the bare bones of a deciduous tree and the last wind blown blades of our ornamental grasses know this doesn't quite fit the definition of interest. About the only plants everyone can count on year round are conifers. Thank goodness for evergreens. They add structure, height, color and texture to the garden and they always look their best. About’s Guide to Forestry, Steve Nix, tips you off to which evergreens are best suited to home growing and even how to identify them. So you can impress the grand kids with your knowledge of which pine tree has five-needles and which has bark that smells like vanilla.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti (2008) licensed to About.com, Inc.