Description
Box (Buxus sempervirens) topiary cone or Boxwood is a British native plant. It is tolerant of shade, as well as thin chalky soils and will in fact grow in most soil types unless they are very wet or exposed to cold winds. It is very slow in its growth and this makes it very manageable and suitable for forming dense hedges as well as being able to be trimmed into smart geometric shapes. It requires regular trimming to help keep it looking at its best
Box is the classic hedge plant for use in Knot Gardens, Parterres and Potager gardens. It has a universal appeal for border edging in large formal gardens as well as in the smallest town garden as topiary and other shapes. Box is used as the framework for formal designs and of the plants used for this only the English Yew can match Box for its versatility.
For the best results trim Box (Buxus sempervirens) topiary cone with sharp hand shears and choose a day with a gentle breeze when it is dry. If planting alongside other plants it is advisable to leave a small gap to allow air to circulate freely to maintain the plants health.
Being slow growing the wood of the Box plant is very dense and this makes it very popular with Cabinet makers for use as decorative inlays.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
ASPECT | Coast Exposed | Coast Sheltered | Inland Exposed | Inland Sheltered | Heavy Shade | |||||||
HEIGHT | Less then 1m | 1-2.5m | 2.5-5m | Over 5m | ||||||||
SOIL | Heavy Clay | Medium Loam | Light Sandy | Peat | Acid | Alkaline | Poorly Drained | |||||
TRIMMING | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
FEEDING | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
FLOWERING | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
HARDINESS | Hardy to -10°C | Hardy to below -10°C | Growth Rate | 15cm per year |