Evergreen low growing shrubs to cover the ground in part sun or shade

Shade loving evergreens with such low grow growing or spreading habit of growth will have the dual advantage of helping reduce weed growth, while also providing an attractive foil to taller planting.

All of the plants below are not only compact and low growing but also evergreen, so they will provide an attractive ground cover for bare soil for the entire year. Such winter cover will also reduce the chance of weed seedlings germinating during winter months while providing winter protection to the soil and roots of surrounding plantings.

Ground cover can be planted on mass under trees and larger shrubs to provide attractive swathes of planting. Alternatively you can plant in smaller clumps to define the edge of a bed or provide cover around the base of a specimen plant.

Dig in plenty of soil when planting if soil is poor and water in generously after planting. Applying a surface mulch will also help plants as they establish. Some of these ground covering shrubs will also benefit from a late winter trim to shape if they start to get leggy. Many will also spread by self layering them selves into bare soil and can as such become invasive.

Click Image for Full Profile	Latin & Common Name	Earmark	Type & Form	Flowers & Foliage
	Lonicera piliata		Shrub, Ground cover, Rounded - Bush	Non-flowering
	Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Variegatus' Tea Olive, Variegated Osmanthus		Shrub, Ground cover, Hedging & Screening, Rounded - Bush	White flowers (Autumn, scented)
	Ruscus aculeatus Butchers Broom, Ruscus		Shrub, Ground cover, Spikey	Non-flowering
	Sarcococca confusa Sweet Box		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Rounded - Bush	White flowers (Winter, scented)
	Skimmia Japonica 'Ruby Dome' Skimmia		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Spreading arching	White flowers (Spring, scented)
	Viburnum davidii		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Rounded - Clump	White flowers (Summer)
	Euonymus fortunei 'emerald Gaiety '		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Rounded - Bush	Non-flowering
	Rhododendron yakushimanum Dwarf rododendron		Ground cover, Container-friendly, Spreading clump	White flowers (Spring)
	Hypericum beanii		Shrub, Ground cover, Spreading clump	Yellow flowers (Summer)
	Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald n Gold'		Shrub, Ground cover, Container-friendly, Spreading clump	Non-flowering