Looking for an evergreen shrub Here are our top picks.

Evergreen shrubs retain their leaves all year round and are a must in any garden. They are a welcome sight in winter, their fresh green leaves and unique shapes preventing the garden from looking bare. Evergreen plants are often described as the ‘backbone’ of the garden, as they bring important structure – some can be pruned into balls, mounds, columns and pyramids. They also act as a foil for more attractive plants, such as summer-flowering perennials or shrubs with beautiful autumn colour.

1. Azaleas

Azaleas are small evergreen shrubs that are covered in bright flowers in spring. There are thousands of cultivars to choose from, with flowers ranging from pink, magenta and purple to red, orange and yellow. Azaleas are perfect for growing in a damp, shady area of the garden. They do best in acidic soil, but if this is not available in your area, you can grow dwarf varieties in containers using a peat-free ericaceous fertilizer. Azaleas are closely related to rhododendrons, and are similar but not evergreen.

2. Bamboo

Bamboo is a great evergreen shrub for a contemporary or urban garden, as well as a tropical planting scheme. It also works well as a natural screen, great for creating privacy or hiding an unsightly garden feature. Bamboo sways and rustles beautifully in the wind. There are many bamboo plants to choose from, with stems ranging in color from black to yellow. Some varieties grow well in containers.

3. Bay

Bay (Laurus nobilis) is an evergreen shrub with aromatic leaves that has many culinary uses. Often sold as standard balls or shaped into cones, bay can be used as an alternative to yew or box topiary. It grows well in containers. Grow boxwood in a sunny, sheltered spot in moist but well-drained soil.

4. Box

The fresh green foliage of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) brings freshness to the garden all year round. Cut into overhanging shapes such as balls, mounds, cones, scrolls, animals or birds, or grown as a low hedge in a knot garden or border, it’s hard to beat. But boxwood is not without its problems, and some are worth considering before investing in a plant. In recent years, boxwood has come under attack from blight and boxwood borer, both of which can weaken and kill plants. If either of these is a problem in your area, you might want to consider our alternatives to boxwood.

5. Camellia

Camellia such as Camellia japonica and Camellia x williamsii are a welcome sight in late winter and early spring, when nothing else is blooming. Their flowers range from white to pink and red, and can be single or double. Their glossy, evergreen leaves are beautiful all year round. Camellias need a shady spot and should be grown in moist but well-drained, acidic soil. If you don’t have this in your garden, you can grow them in pots, in ericaceous compost.

6. Cyanothus

Cyanothus, also known as California lilac, is awash in flowers in May and June – often a vibrant cornflower blue, although some varieties have pink or white flowers. They grow best in a sunny spot, but will tolerate partial shade. The bushy, evergreen varieties have smaller, finer leaves and are a bit less hardy, so grow in a sheltered spot, away from cold, drying winds. Cyanothus comes in a variety of sizes.

7. Choisya

Zoysia, or Mexican orange flower, is an attractive, low-maintenance evergreen shrub. Its glossy green leaves look good all year round, and in late spring and early summer the white, star-shaped flowers smell deliciously of orange blossom. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate shade if it is in a protected location.