I personally like Chamaecyparis obtusa (dwarf Hinoki false cypress)
- Zones 4-8
- Nana grows to 3' tall x 4' wide

Here are more options:

Cotoneaster horizontalis (rockspray cotoneaster)
- Zones 5-7
- 2-3' tall x 5-8' wide - semi-evergreen

Cryptomeria japonica **love this one! (dwarf Japanese cedar)
- Zones 5-9
- Elegans Nana is 3-5' tall and compacted
- Globosa Nana is 3-5' tall x 3-5' wide

Ilex glabra (inkberry holly)
- Zones 4-9
- Nigra grows to 4-6' tall - compact growth habit - great for foundations
- Shamrock grows to 5' tall and is slower growing - bright green foliage

Juniperus chinensis (Juniper)
- Zones 3-9
- Old Gold or Saybrook Gold grow 3' tall x 4-5' wide (very pretty yellow
foliage on tips)
- Would make a nice contrast with Emerald Arborvitae

Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda)
- Zones 5-8
- Purity grows to 3-4' tall with large white flowers in spring
- var. yakusimanum 'Prelude' grows to 2-3' tall x 3-4' wide - compact grower
with white flowers

Spiraea japonica (Gold Mound or Gold Flame) **This is a deciduous shrub that
would be beautiful with another small evergreen.
- Zones 4-8 on Gold Mound
- Zones 3-8 on Gold Flame
- Gold Flame grows to 2-4' tall x 4-5' wide - new growth is purplish bronze
and the same for fall
- Gold Mound grows to 3-3.5' tall x 3-4' wide - bright yellow green leaves
with tiny pink flowers in summer.

**A perennial that would also be pretty in front of the small shrubs would
be Heuchera sanguinea "Bressingham Hybrid" (coral bells)
- Zones 4-8
- 18" - 24" tall and evergreen
- Heavy bloomer with various shades of pink flowers.


Hopefully, this gives you some ideas to start with. I would recommend
checking them out on Google or Yahoo. You should be able to see pictures of
all to get some idea of their looks. Another very important consideration
is how much sun/shade you have on your foundation. This could determine
what thrives in that location.

Good Luck,

Penny
Zone 7b - Raleigh, NC
"audrey" wrote in message
om...
Hi all,

I'm redoing my foundation planting and looking for an evergreen to
replace my sickly azaleas. The qualities of the evergreen that I'm
looking for are given below, starting with the most desirable given
first.

1. Nice foliage, green all year long (to zone 5)
2. Good companion to Emerald Green Arborvitae
3. Neat appearance
4. Low maintenance (little to no trimming/pruning needed)
5. Medium to fast growing but matured height is 3 1/2 feet

Much thanks,

Audrey