September and October are ideal months for planting new shrubs, trees and perennials. But before you rush off to the garden center to buy this fall’s cohort of new plants, ask yourself: What would Martha do?

With temperature extremes only predicted to intensify in 2027, the desire for climate and wildlife resilient plants is more important than ever. We always aspire to give you the best advice possible when it comes to planting choices, so this time we asked the oracle.

Speaking to , Martha Stewart revealed the shrub she plants on repeat, and recommends for all American gardens, is the humble boxwood. ‘Boxwood is one of my favourite plants. I have thousands of boxwoods on my property,’ she tells us. We asked Martha why boxwood (such as this beautiful Proven Winners Sprinter® Boxwood Shrub from Trees.com) is the plant investment to make this fall, and how to use it in your yard.

Why Martha Stewart Loves Boxwood, and You Should Too

'I'm always trying to find a plant that will be the background and, in the United States, that's going to be something that is deer resistant, slow-growing, but beautiful, strong, and with nice foliage, and that would be the boxwood,' says Martha.

There are many different kinds of boxwood on the market, she tells us, such as the Winter Gem Boxwood from Nature Hills, which turns bronze in fall and winter to give you a beautiful shift in color when the seasons change.

We also love the American boxwood from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees), which is ideal for pruning into formal garden hedges, architectural framing, and for topiary.

'Boxwoods are incredibly versatile,' says Martha. 'They're just so useful as border plants and hedges, and also as accent plants.'

Most boxwood varieties are deer and rabbit resistant, and their evergreen foliage provides year-round interest, structure and coverage. They are low-maintenance, hardy shrubs, which only need light trimming to keep them in shape. And they can usually thrive for decades.

Getting plants in the ground now will give them lots of time to get their roots cosy and established in the soil before they need to put energy back into growing.

Native Hedges to Compliment Boxwood

'Another nice thing are trees that grow in hedges,' says Martha. 'We have the American hornbeam, that makes a beautiful hedge as something outside of a fence, too.'

You can find beautiful American hornbeam specimens at Trees.com.

It is a resilient tree, which is fairly compact, making it perfect for hedges and for small gardens. It also doesn't mind shade, and turns the most vibrant shades of red-orange and yellow in fall, providing beautiful seasonal interest.

You can also find the American Hornbeam available to order from Nature Hills.

The box tree moth is an invasive pest, and it's larvae, the box tree caterpillar, poses a threat to boxwood. The caterpillars can decimate plants and they spread quicky.

The issue is much more common in the UK than in the US, but there have been reports of the box tree moth on US shores since 2021. If you find any on your shrubs, you should report it your local USDA office or State agriculture department. Small outbreaks can be dealt with by hand, or by applying an insecticidal soap, such as this one from Amazon.

If you're concerned, and would prefer to opt for a boxwood alternative, Japanese holly, mountain laurel, yew and even azaleas are great, hardy options.

What to Shop

'Feed your garden, and feed it now,' she says. 'So that the plants have a chance to absorb the food and the nutrients and enable them to overwinter, and they will bloom and grow nicely in the springtime.'

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