Anne Swithinbank
A keen fruit, vegetable and house-plant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Garden Wisley.
Matthew Pottage
Matthew is the curator of RHS Garden Wisley, the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society in Surrey.
Pippa Greenwood
Pippa is one of the foremost experts on pests and diseases. She gardens using organic methods.
Q Will evergreen standards grow in a north-facing plot?
Kristine, by email
A ANNE SAYS Most evergreen trees or large shrubs trained as standards will be vulnerable to wind damage, so check whether your garden is affected by strong, icy winds. If reasonably sheltered, try Magnolia Fairy Cream. This is mainly evergreen and floriferous. You need to buy one trained as a standard, as they are often multi-stemmed.
If you are not bothered about large flowers, a standard holly is tough and attractive. I like Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Golden King’, which, despite the name, is female. For red berries, make sure there is a male nearby for pollination.
Some privets are trained as standards. Chinese, or glossy, privet (Ligustrum lucidum) bears 15cm-long leaves and creamy-white flowers from summer to autumn. Semi-evergreen cotoneasters, including red-fruited C. ‘Cornubia’ and yellow-fruited ’Rothschildianus’, make tree-like shapes and their blossom attracts pollinators.
Q&A TEAM ANSWER Evergreen standards
A One of my favourite evergreen standards for situations that aren’t in full sun are the variegated hollies, which have a timeless, classy, elegance about them. The
