Hi all, I'm pretty new to outdoor planting and am looking for an evergreen that is easy to maintain. I've just moved into a new house and have a small vertical area between my house and my neighbours to do some planting. I'm in Toronto, ON and we get pretty cold winters and very hot summers. I like the look of juniper but I'm not sure which variety... any recommendations would be really appreciated! Happy Halloween! Roanna
Your best bet is probably to visit some of your local nurseries; they will have in stock only plants that will survive in your area. Do be aware that the "north-facing" issue will matter, depending on how tall the two houses are (can't tell on the photo). In summer the shadows will shorten, and they may actually get quite a lot of sun. If the neighbour's house is as low as it looks, you may have enough afternoon sun for junipers... otherwise you might be best off with Thujas (cedars or arborvitae), boxwoods, or other broadleaved types. You might want to decide in advance whether you want low shrubs or tall ones. None of those will flower, so if you want seasonal interest you might intersperse with something else like annuals or perennials, or choose flowering shrubs. There are both broadleaf evergreen and deciduous options once you go that route. By the way, the later you go into the season, the less advisable it might be to plant before winter - the plants need to get established before serious freezes set in.
Great, thanks for all the advice! I plan on checking out a nursery close to home this weekend. I really would like to get them planted now, do you think it's too late in the season?
There's another question that I'm afraid is better answered locally! I'm thinking I've heard it should be six weeks before freeze-up.
