Again, thanks to all who are reading our blog! June Buntin commented on the entry about mulch with a question of her own:

I used a 4 or 5 thickness of newspaper (no slick inserts) around my boxwoods, topped with pine needles, as a mulch for the winter.  What do you think? These are in the front of the house by my walk. I don’t have a ready source of hardwood mulch.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Librarian Maggie Southwick and the library volunteers had the following reply:

The Boxwood Handbook by Lynn R. Batdorf, American Boxwood Society, 1994 is the best reference for information on boxwood culture.  It recommends that mulch be applied only to a depth of 1”, and cautions to avoid mounding mulch under branches.  Pine needles are listed as an effective and attractive mulch.  Newspaper is not mentioned, but a thin layer such as is described would probably function in much the same way as geotextile fabric or shredded leaves, both of which are listed as being recommended in the handbook.  The American Boxwood Society also publishes the Boxwood Bulletin.  Each quarterly issue usually includes two pages of questions and answers about boxwood culture.

Just a side note about boxwoods—someone told me once the way to tell English and American boxwoods apart is by the shape of the leaves. English is more rounded and oval, while American is more spear-shaped with a tip at the end of the leaf.

We were out in the Garden earlier today with a group from the National Press Women’s Association and we were talking about “very Virginia plants.” Boxwood certainly falls into that category! What are some others you would add to that list?

Beth Monroe is public relations director at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.

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