By Sarina Rattler

As leaf cleanup continues, it also marks the time of year where the evergreens begin to shine. Many of the evergreens commonly found in landscaped yards are non-native to our area but provide key structural elements in a curated home landscape. Some of the most used shrubs that come to mind are boxwoods, nandina, arborvitae and a variety of hollies. Hurley Park certainly hosts its share of nandina shrubs, a lasting ode to the landscaping industry of yesteryear. Nandinas are excellent for their lasting color and adaptability, but their fruits are not healthy for migrating birds and contribute to their invasive spread. An easy solution is to routinely cut off the berries. If you’re considering adding a Nandina to your landscape, opt for newer cultivars that don’t produce fruit. The Nandinas at Hurley Park display unique shades of purple, red and green throughout the cooler winter months.

A less common evergreen shrub at Hurley Park is the Poet’s Laurel (Danae racemosa). It can be found planted en masse at the Annandale Avenue entrance to the park, across from the Murphy and Alonza Redd gardens. Its glossy green leaves are celebrated for their ability to last in flower arrangements, but the true prestige of this shrub for Southern gardeners is their ability thrive in dry shade. This time of the year their limbs are adorned with bright red berries that look like ornaments.

The Earl Bullard Holly Collection is really beginning to shine in the winter landscape. The Burford Holly welcomes visitors to the park, absolutely loaded with berries. With the glossy holly leaves and red berries, it has a quintessential holiday look. The Yaupon Holly, a favorite of the birds, can be found along the side of the park’s stairs. Native to the eastern United States and Mexico, the yaupon holly also holds cultural significance in indigenous communities. Finally, my favorite holly in the Hurley Park collection is the Lusterleaf Holly. From afar, it almost resembles a magnolia with its shiny, broad leaves. Located toward the interior of the Holly Collection, it provides excellent screening for the park with its rich texture but can easily be overlooked as just another background evergreen.

We hope you’ll visit the park this winter and enjoy the ever-present beauty of our plantings. In the meantime, stay up to date with what’s happening at Hurley Park by following us on Facebook or Instagram @HurleyParkNC. To make a donation to the park or inquire about rentals, please give us a call at 704-638-5298 or visit salisburync.gov/hurleypark.

Sarina Rattler is public garden supervisor for Salisbury Parks and Rec.