Buxus

Buxus or Box Hedging
For a small, very slow growing evergreen hedge, pick Box. Box hedging has been the world over for making formal hedges to define borders. There are two types commonly grown for hedging. Buxus Sempervirens and Buxus Suffruticosa. Sempervirens is a faster growing form and makes a tight, dwarf hedge quite quickly. It grows about 2/3 inches/season and is known as common box. It can be grown as a hedge to any height or clipped to all sorts of shapes. Suffruticosa is the form always used as a border edging. It grows very, very slowly. So slowly, in fact, that most use the common box for edging as it can take years to reach one foot. Both forms have beautiful, luxuriantly glossy green, small round leaves, packed tightly. They can be bought in containers or bare rooted. Bare rooted being slower to establish as the shock of having all the soil shaken from their roots and being cut out of the ground, puts them back a season. Containerised are best and it will get you off to a flying start, with them hardly noticing being moved.

Clipping Box
I think no-one can not have heard it said many times by gardening experts that you trim your box on the longest day of the year. Truth is you can clip them any time you like, but better in summer and not on a very hot day. Use a sharp pair of shears and cut away. They are very rewarding and fun to trim especially the shapes.

Dislikes
Apart from dog urine and being careful not to treat them with lawn weed and feed, they will thrive in all positions and soils.

Feeding Box Hedging
Do not over do the food. Sprinkle some bone meal at the base of the plants in spring and again after their trim.