EVERGREENS FOR SCREENING

Evergreens retain their foliage for a full year or more and are classified as either conifers or broadleaf evergreens. Coniferous plants belong to the phylum gymnosperms which are plants that bear cones instead of flowers as reproductive structures. Their leaves are called either needles or scales. These are adaptations for survival in tough windy droughty conditions, like on top of mountains. While broad leaf evergreens have flowers that produce seeds and belong to the phylum Angiosperms, the flowering plants. They are beautiful and functional! Both conifers and broadleaf evergreens are a wonderful asset to your landscape and for screening.

SCREENING is one of the most requested landscape functions. This can seem like a very simple request however from the grower’s perspective it is much more complex and dependent on budget and environment.

BUDGET: How much you have to spend on screening directly correlates to the amount of time it will take to achieve your end goal. The bigger the tree, grass or shrub, the more expensive it is and the more work it is to install. Faster growing plants are not always an ideal option. A fast growing plant can be weak wooded, suffering from high winds or winter damage, or the plant could be invasive and outgrow its location. Even very large transplants can take a couple of years to re-set their supporting root systems. The most economical and hardiest solution is to start your screening "vision" with smaller plants that can quickly establish themselves with slower growth screening behind.

ENVIRONMENT: The Island may be small but it is very diverse in terrain and habitats. What would work for a screen in Vineyard Haven will not necessarily work for screening on the north shore in Chilmark. There are many different soils, exposures and pests that can modify your choices. Deer are a big problem up island and poor, sandy soils are a problem in Oak Bluffs. Some areas have clay soils that cause poor drainage that can slowly kill off new plantings. Some have ample available water that can cause problems for plants like Juniper that are adapted to poor, dry soils. It may help to remember that what you see above ground is only half of the plant, what goes on below is perhaps even more important.

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CONIFERS WE’D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT

• Picea Abies (Norway Spruce). A fast growing evergreen. Growing on average of 13 inches per year! This is ideal for planting on the island because it grows in acidic, loamy, sandy, well drained & clay soils.

• Cupressocyparis Leylandii (Leyland Cypress). Grows at least 24" per year. Also ideal for island growing conditions, except for near the shore, where salt and wind can cause irreversible damage.

• Pinus Strobus (Eastern White Pine). Prefers acidic, moist, well drained soil. This evergreen grows at least 24" each year.

• Thuja plicata Green Giant: We have been carrying this cultivar for years. This specific variety can get up to 60' tall! Many use arborvitae as screening for privacy on their properties, as well as a windbreaker. We have them in several sizes.

• Thuja plicata Virginian: This year we received a new cultivar of arborvitae from Worthington Farms, introduced as Thuja 'Green Giants' little sister. Thuja Virginian grows only 15' tall x 6' wide in ten years. Grows 1 to 2 feet yearly. It is also known to be deer resistant! They are beautiful and make great screening. We offer 3 different sizes up to 9'.

BENEFITS OF EVERGREENS

• Provide year round interest

• Great for privacy screening

• Provides habitats for birds and other small animals

• Drought resistant, once established

• Pollinator friendly!

• Great for Martha’s Vineyards climate zone 7A (hardier than zone 7A).

Broadleaf evergreens make excellent screening as well!

Plants like Hollies, rhododendrons, cherry laurels and andromedas are great, especially for areas that are shady.