• Evergreen trees in Vancouver include Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and hemlock.evergreen branches image by Jackie DeBusk from Fotolia.com
  
  Evergreen trees grow throughout the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. These trees remain green and generally keep their leaves throughout the year. Evergreen trees prefer sunlight and need plenty of water to establish a root system. The challenge with evergreens is what to plant underneath because of lack of sunlight and acidic soil.
  
  

Hosta

• You can plant hostas at any time of the year.hosta image by lesley marlor from Fotolia.com
  
  Hostas, a plant native to Asia, have broad leaves and will tolerate shade. A perennial plant, hostas return each year and come in a variety of colors, sizes and textures. Hostas are a popular plant to place under evergreens because they require little sunlight to thrive. Hostas grow well in Vancouver because of the climate and soil conditions and only need to remain dormant for several months to thrive. You can divide and transplant them into other areas as needed. Once planted, hostas require little care to sustain growth. Because many evergreens have low-hanging branches, dig a deep hole with a spade to plant. Because the hosta will share water with the tree, water the plant well throughout the season.
  
  

Azaleas and Rhododendrons

• Evergreen azaleas grow two sets of leaves every year.Azaleas image by RC from Fotolia.com
  
  Because of the acidic soil around evergreen trees, caused from falling pine needles, azaleas and other rhododendrons are a good choice to place beneath these types of trees. Azaleas can be deciduous or evergreen, and they prefer moist, loose soil and partial shade. You can choose from thousands of varieties of azaleas and rhododendrons to plant in the Vancouver area, but azaleas must be protected by the wind to survive. Some will grow in temperatures as low as -30 F. Dig a hole that is a little larger than the root ball. Remove any plastic or burlap that is around the root ball and drop the plant inside the hole. Cover the azalea plant with dirt and spread pine mulch around the plant. Water the azaleas thoroughly.
  
  

Periwinkle

• Because periwinkle grows fast, it can adapt to any climate.Periwinkle image by Jeffrey Banke from Fotolia.com
  
  Periwinkle is a hardier type of ground cover that prefers shade and can tolerate Vancouver's colder temperatures. Other names for periwinkle include myrtle or flower-of-death. You can identify the plant by its five-petal blossom and can survive with little water. Because periwinkles need little sunlight and tolerate acidic soil, you can plant them under shade trees, including evergreens. You can also transplant periwinkles in either the spring or fall. Dig a hole 3 to 4 inches deep and slightly wider than the plant's root balls. Place the plant inside the hole and cover with dirt. Space the plants at least 12 inches apart. This will allow the plants to grow and spread over the entire area by the end of the season. periwinkle can be planted at any time during the year, except for during the winter.