Best evergreen plants for borders – 5 winter bloomers and foliage staples that will brighten up the colder months

Our gardens might be winding down for the autumn, but that doesn’t mean we have to miss out on greenery over the colder months – a few of the best evergreen plants for borders can really liven up a winter garden.

There are plenty of brilliant evergreen plants for pots, but if you’ve got a garden border that looks bare over the winter, it’s worth planting a few evergreen varieties to keep the space looking very much alive over the colder months.

Whether you’re looking for evergreen staples or winter bloomers, I’ve rounded up some of the very best evergreen plants for borders (in gardens large and small!).

1. Pittosporum

Pittosporum takes me back to childhood – the silver-green leaves were a staple in my mum’s garden border, right next to her rosemary bush and Mexican orange blossom.

It’s one of the best evergreen plants for borders if you’re looking for foundation foliage all year round. I like to think of it as a capsule plant – it goes with everything!

‘When it comes to borders, I think of evergreen plants as the backbone of a garden,’ says gardening expert and author Sarah Raven. ‘They provide structure throughout the year and stop things from looking empty once the growing season ends. Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Bannow Bay’ is a favourite, its pale-edged leaves catching the light on duller days.’

Or, Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Golf Ball', from £36.99 at Crocus, forms neat, rounded mounds of evergreen foliage, ideal for a small garden.

2. Hebes

If you’re looking for low-growing evergreen shrubs, hebes are an absolute must. The foliage alone provides architectural interest, but the shrubs produce white, pink and purple flowers, too.

‘Compact evergreen shrubs such as hebe varieties are perfect for smaller borders,’ says Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres. ‘They attract pollinators while maintaining a neat form, adding both greenery and biodiversity to the garden.

Gardening Express’ Hebes Collection is a steal at £29.95, and includes six beautiful hebe varieties.

3. Euphorbia

Euphorbia is a popular Mediterranean garden plant, but it’s also one of the best evergreen plants for borders, according to Sarah Raven – especially if you’re looking for vibrant foliage.

‘Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii is essential with its tall, upright stems and bright green spring flowers,’ she says.

Euphorbia palustris, from £9.99 at Crocus, is another popular choice, producing green flowers from early summer.

4. Skimmia japonica

With fragrant leaves and flower clusters in spring, Japanese skimmia (or Skimmia japonica) is one of the very best evergreen plants for borders. It's also one of the best things to plant in pots in September, if you're out of border space.

‘For colourful foliage and blooms, choose shrubs like Skimmia japonica with its red bud,’ agrees Julian.

If you’re growing a male plant by a female plant, the female plant will produce fruit, too – though it’s purely ornamental, and not to be eaten by humans or pets!

Skimmia japonica ‘Redruth’, £29.99 from Crocus, is a female plant, while Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’, from £11.99 at J. Parker’s, is a male plant.

5. Mahonia

Mahonia is one of the most striking winter-flowering shrubs, and it’s a tough, hardy choice for low-maintenance evergreen borders.

Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ is another recommendation of Julian’s, thanks to its bright yellow flowers. The leaves are holly-like, and the shrub produces upright, fragrant flower spikes from November to March – perfect for brightening up dark winter days!

You can buy Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ from Gardening Express for £24.95.

Which evergreen plants do you have in your garden border? Have we missed any favourites?