Give me your favourite low level flowering evergreen shrub suggestions

[user73]

I know that is quite specific!

we have some new decking which is about a foot above ground level in a few places and I want to put something low level and flowering between the decking and the lawn. Ideally nothing more than a couple of foot tall. because I don’t want to block the view.

what would you pick?

Gaultheria procumbens (I think it’s now Pernettya, but be careful not Pernettya mucronata which is taller) -small white spring flowers followed by persistent red berries, if you’re in neutral to acid soil. Again for neutral to acid, heathers, Skimmia (white scented flowers followed in var Robbsiae by red berries. Other varieties have separate male and female plants so unless you get both you won’t have berries)

Mahonia aquifolia is a bit taller but you will still see over it - clusters of yellow flowers, purple berries with a bloom, prickly leaves. The other species of Mahonia are too large.

Ilex crenata, a small not prickly holly being recommended as a substitute for Box.

Dwarf conifers,especially spreading rather than upright ones.

If you’re on alkaline soil, I have no idea!

Soil definitely acid. Rhododendrons love it.

Thank you for the suggestions, I shall go and google

I know not evergren but i would put a row of lavender - may be mix with some box balls?

Alternative would be Rosemary - flowers earlier in the year, but scented leaves all the year, evergreen. Taller than lavender but there are prostrate varieties.

Erysimum. Comes in purple, yellow and bronze. Flowers for about 10 months of the year. It's a constant splash of colour, tolerates any soil and conditions, very easy to propogate. Grows about 40cm and spreads about 1m

Hebes (flowering varieties)

Convulvulus cneorum

Rock rose

These all do well in sun and fairly dry soil. Rock rose has a lovely botanical smell. I agree with adding in some lavender just for the scent.

I've got a bird sown shrub that's appeared in my garden that's got a very prostrate habit, I think it's a cotoneaster. It's evergreen, spreading sideways but not up. If that tickles your fancy I suspect the variety could be id'd.

Bergenia
Some varieties of Euphorbia and Geranium are evergreen
Parahebe Snow Clouds

How far are you OK for it to spread? Are you looking for green leaves or would you be OK with grey ones?

If you are OK with spreading grey leaved shrubs, both ballota pseudodictamnus and stachys byzantina (lamb's ears) could fit the bill. Stachys byzantina might die back in particularly cold winters but will come back from the root, it will stay evergreen when it's reasonably mild in winter. Both are very popular with bees.

Santolina might work too, but will need clipping regularly, or it will tend to flop in a messy way. It is available in both grey and green, and can make a lovely little hedge. The flowers are not the most attractive though, bright yellow little balls.

Looking up all of these suggestions thank you everyone. Happy for it to spread although on one side spreading would mean it going into the shade of a large oak.

we have a lavender hedge and lots of rosemary elsewhere.

Helianthemum
One of the low growing Ceanothus
Erysimum Bowles Mauve (will flower almost all year round for a few years then die!)
A variegated Euonymus fortunei like Silver Queen (not flowering but pretty all year round)
I have no idea how any of these do in acid soil though.

The Euonymus might get too tall if it’s happy but you can chop it back. Other variegated varieties are available too.