Plant Guide: Boxwood for Hedges and Foundation Structure

Boxwood has shaped formal gardens for centuries because it takes shearing and stays green year-round. Modern landscapes still use it for low hedges, spheres, and foundation framing.

Choose cultivars with disease resistance appropriate to your region, give plants air flow, and avoid constant wet foliage. Water deeply while establishing, then moderate. Shear lightly and often for formal shapes, or prune for a looser look.

If older boxwoods are declining, a professional can help you decide whether to treat, replace with resistant varieties, or switch to alternate evergreens that give a similar effect.