• Position: partial shade
  • Soil: fertile, well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: slow-growing
  • Hardiness: fully hardyA pair of these tightly clipped box spheres look great flanking a set of steps, a doorway or a path. One of our recommended plants, they’re perfect for planting in a large terracotta pot in a partially shady site, where the glossy, dark-green leaves provide all year foliage, interest and structure. Box are happy growing in a sunnier spot, but the combination of dry soil and full sun may encourage poor growth and leaf scorching. If you have sandy soil it is best to keep them in a partially shady spot in the garden.
  • Garden care: Ensure that the soil or compost is never allowed to dry out. Trim plants grown as hedges or topiary in mid- or late summer. If you want to maintain a really precise outline, then you can clip it twice a year – once in June, and then again in August/September. Apply a top-dressing of a balanced slow-release fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone (organic) or Growmore (inorganic) around the base of the plant in spring, making sure that none touches the leaves or stems.