Developed at Sheridan Nurseries in Ontario, 'Green Velvet' was bred specifically to endure winters that would punish its English parent. The result is a compact, mounding shrub reaching 2 to 3 feet, with foliage that genuinely earns its name: a dense, plush surface of dark green that catches light differently in morning and afternoon. It is notable for its resistance to the bronzing that afflicts many boxwoods in cold wind, though it rewards placement away from exposed corners and full afternoon sun.

The best site for 'Green Velvet' is one that receives morning sun and some afternoon shade, with well-drained soil and shallow roots protected by a generous layer of mulch. It responds well to pruning, but only after the last frost has passed, when new growth won't be caught by a late cold snap. Bees find the small spring flowers worth visiting. Deer do not. It works as a low hedge, a border anchor, or a quiet evergreen presence beside a front door, reliably there in January when the rest of the garden has given up.