Boxwood at the Shakespeare Garden

The boxwood has long been valued for its sturdy structure and evergreen leaves. The Romans used boxwood for topiary and the Elizabethans likewise in addition to including boxwood in the famous formal knot gardens of the era.  While Shakespeare mentions boxwood only once, it has been an important element of most Shakespeare gardens and Shakespeare must have considered it an appropriate hiding place in the garden.

Gerard, the English botanist, found the leaves of the boxwood to be foul smelling, as do many others, and yet it was still put to limited use in medical remedies of the time.  It was thought to ward off evil and was also a symbol of eternal life, due to its evergreen leaves. Boxwood was prized as a very hard wood and excellent for both intricate wood carving and for more practical purposes domestically. Gerard also notes that the strong yellow root of the plant was more beautiful than the wood itself.

Boxwood is native to western and southern Europe. The meaning of sempervirens is evergreen and it was used extensively in the Middle Ages for Christmas greens, as it is today as well.  The plant is considered low maintenance and will grow in a variety of soil and moisture settings.  Boxwood, while still green all winter, can become dehydrated from heavy winter sun and winds, it is best planted in a slightly protected area. It is a woody perennial with slow growth, likes full sun, a neutral ph. and well-drained soil. It is hardy in zones 5a to 8b and is deer and rabbit resistant which makes it a beautiful and protective fence for gardens.