In Zone 4, the hardiest and most appropriate boxwood may be "Green Velvet." According to the nursery catalogs, it has survived zone 4 temperatures. And it gets no more than 3 feet tall, which makes it excellent as a low hedge, especially in a formal parterre or walkway. A little seasonal pruning keeps them at the right height and in the right shape.

Try to look at the book "The Boxwood Encyclopedia" by Lynn Batdorf. The book came out last year and has EVERYTHING anyone could ever want to know about boxwood species and cultivars, good and bad. He is at the National Arboretum and is the country's leading authority on boxwood. The downside is that the book is very expensive. My library got it for me. There is a handbook he wrote that's a lot cheaper--go to the Boxwood Society website via Google to order that. But if you're going to invest in boxwood, which is often a very troublesome plant, tracking down the book or booklet is worth it.

The website is www.boxwoodsociety.org And the group is the American Boxwood Society. On the left of their home page, click on "publications" and it will tell you about the two publications I mentioned above. Trust me, it's worth the effort.

Cool, Ginny. I never knew there was a boxwood encyclopedia. Learn something new every day.