By Steragram
Pembrokeshire,
United Kingdom 
Container evergreen of restricted width.
I'm looking for a shrub that will grow in a container not much over a foot across, in shade until late lunchtime and full sun then until evening (if we ever get any!)It is to make a screen between some steps and the water butt and will need to be kept no more than 18" wide and around three or four feet tall. Must withstand strong wind.
Am coming round to thinking it is a choice between lonicera nitida, which is boring all year, or a sarcococca, but have never grown the latter - which variety would be best, and would it be OK in that position?
13 Sep, 2012
Answers
Ah. Which variety is the smaller one - it sounds lovely! The height of the ruscifolia would be OK but two feet width is the max - I think I might have too go with the lonicera unless someone else has an inspiration! Don't want to risk box with the rust around.Thanks for the info, much appreciated.
14 Sep, 2012
I am not Iciar!!
14 Sep, 2012
I'd go for Euonymus japonica 'aureus' (used to be called aureo-pictus) - won't get much taller than 4 feet in a pot and can be clipped over regularly to keep it narrow. Its growth habit is upright anyway.
14 Sep, 2012
Good idea Miriam.It does look very similar to the one that nearly died on me earlier this year but as there are several with very similar leaves I don't know what that one was/is. I'll look out for it - more attractive than the lonicera anyway!
14 Sep, 2012
Yes, that echoes my feelings too, lol! This shrub is often available at garden centres, reasonably small or about 9inches to a foot high, during September and October, as part of a range of evergreens for tub and container planting over winter. It has longer, narrow leaves than other euonymus they might offer, and very bright colouration (yellow/green), with the green round the edge of the leaves, occasionally some plain green or yellow leaves. But I expect you knew all that already, lol!
15 Sep, 2012
No I didn't - hadn't really realised there were several varieties with the same shiny variegated leaves. I've got a very small one that was a cutting off the one that nearly died, but that seems to like growing prostrate (could be because its been overtaken by an artemesia)Have just trailed across a rather wet lawn to have a closer look, and it does have green leaves with yellow in the middle and come to think of it the parent was looking as if it was intending to grow tall and narrow. I never discovered why it seemed to be dying, but it is coming again from the base. Theres a photo of it when it was just beginning to die in my questions, 2nd March.
15 Sep, 2012
Been and had a look, that's the one...
16 Sep, 2012
Good grief, after all that... thanks anyway!
16 Sep, 2012
Hi, I grow Sarcococca but mine is a low, clump-forming evergreen shrub . It blooms in wintertime. Mine is in full shade and doing well.Blooms in January and is very fragrant. S. ruscifolia, is a taller plant that can grow to 4 feet high (maybe) but is much wider than you suggested. (closer to 3 feet?)
14 Sep, 2012