YOU CAN'T BEAT THE YEW CAN YOU ?

Taxus 'Densiforma '

The green "bones" of my Garden

I find it hard to convince most of my garden clients to plant yews in their garden. Most folks think its too common. I suppose the main reason is that the yew has been over planted in so many front yards to hide the foundation and shaped to look like green bubblegum shrubs.

When planted and left to grow to its natural form, the yew is very attractive. I especially like it this time of the year when it gets the chartruese colored new growth .

I don't trim my yews much, just a light haircut. It will grow 4 feet high and 6 wide at maturity but I've kept my clipped at around 4 feet since my garden is small.

Went to a lecture recently by a famous English gardener and he said that Americans don't use the yew enough in the garden. The Japanese and English gardens are filled with this hardy evergreen.