Substitutes for box?

If however, you are perhaps a little time poor or have had a tough time with your plants, there are some reasonable substitutes for Buxus.

I like to use Pittosporum in my garden. I recently had a conversation with my friend, Robin, owner of Ichi-Coo Park in Surrey who also uses a lot of pittosporums in his garden – we both think it is underrated and it seems to be making a comeback having fallen a little out of fashion. Two of my favourites are tenuifolium Golf Ball and Tom Thumb. I have a little border near my outdoor kitchen (pictured) and often clip these into pebbles and balls – they complement one another perfectly. It is effective, they are hardy with no issues here on the South Coast and require little maintenance other than the occasional clip to keep things tidy.

Another favourite of mine, and a plant I think we’ll see more of with our warmer summers is Phillyrea angustifolia (photo – freshly clipped by me at Ichi-Coo Park). A narrow-leaf mock privet, these clip very nicely indeed and are tough as old boots. Native to western and central Mediterranean, a member of the olive family Oleaceae, they are perfect for hot, dry conditions and even thrive in a good-sized planter.

Other options include Ilex crenata, but do your homework. I often find these struggle over time without very well-draining and acidic soil. Euonymus japonicus ‘Jean Hugues’ makes a reasonable low hedge although perhaps not quite as ‘tight’ as box when clipped.

It’s fun to experiment with clipping too – a lot of plants are fairly forgiving over time. See what works in your garden!

In short, there isn’t a plant, in my opinion, that can truly replace box; it is such an important plant held in many historic gardens worldwide that we must continue to find ways to tackle problems.

For the latest information on Buxus care, please keep an eye on the EBTS website.