A Boxwood Border in Front of My Greenhouse
The garden beds at my Bedford, New York farm continue to evolve.
I'm always looking for ways to improve my gardens. I love planting interesting and rare specimens that add texture, growth and beauty at different times throughout the year. I also enjoy arranging large groups of certain plantings to create borders and appealing displays. Recently, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, and I decided to make some changes to the garden in front of my main greenhouse. This area is already planted with rows of beautiful currant bushes - black, white, and red. We thought the space would look even prettier planted with a border of boxwood lining the bed's front edge - and it does.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Ryan placed 23 small boxwoods to the left and another 23 to the right of the greenhouse entrance.
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- The shrubs are placed about a foot and a half from each other along the entire length of the bed. The dormant currant bushes are behind the row of boxwood.
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- Every boxwood must be positioned perfectly, so the outdoor grounds crew cut a piece of bamboo to help space the plants as they are planted.
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- Before planting, Chhewang secures a length of twine from one end to the other to ensure everything is planted straight. Chhewang then starts digging the holes where each boxwood will go.
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- Chhewang digs a hole twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper. Once in the hole, the top of the root ball should just be slightly higher than the soil surface. It should be planted the same way it was in the pot.
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- A good fertilizer made especially for new plantings should always be used. This is M-Roots with mycorrhizal fungi, which helps transplant survival and increases water and nutrient absorption.
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- The fertilizer is mixed in with the nutrient-rich soil that’s made right here at my farm with composted manure from my horses. We use it in all the garden beds.
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- Phurba carefully removes the boxwood from its pot and loosens the root ball just a bit.
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- Buxus is a genus of at least 70-species in the family Buxaceae. It is a very versatile plant that provides strong shape and rich green color in winter and a nice frame for blooming flowers in summer.
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- Phurba and Chhewang work in a well-paced production line process. As each hole is dug, a boxwood is planted. Boxwood shrubs are slow-growing plants with dark green glossy leaves. Leaf shape depends on the variety; some are round while others are elliptical.
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- Phurba checks the spacing between each and every plant as he goes.
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- The best time to plant boxwood is during the fall. Plants need well-drained, alkaline soil that contains organic matter.
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- Here are the first several planted – it looks so beautiful already. Boxwood can grow in full sun and partial shade.
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- We’ve had a lot of rain this season, so the soil is quite moist and soft.
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- Phurba measures the distance from the edge to ensure the twine is accurate – better to measure repeatedly to avoid any replanting later.
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- Phurba places the boxwood into the hole, and tamps down around the plant, backfilling with soil wherever necessary.
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- Known as “man’s oldest garden ornamental” according to the American Boxwood Society, ancient Egyptians used boxwoods as decorative plants as early as 4000 B.C.
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- Boxwood shrubs have shallow root systems, so proper mulching after they are planted will help retain moisture and keep the roots cool.
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- Boxwoods have upright, naturally cone-shaped habits making them excellent candidates for planting free-form or for a sculpted hedge.
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- And look how beautiful the border looks in front of these currants.
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- I am even more excited to see how it develops over the next couple of years. How have you used boxwood in your gardens? Let me know in the comments section below.
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