You are over thinking this :-)) All of those plants will thrive in a pH of around 6.0 to 6.5. This is the the natural pH of soils in my area and all these plants are very happy in existing, unaltered soils. If your native soils have a very low pH (quite acidic - below 6.0), you may want to lime the area where the box will go before planting, but I'm not even sure that is necessary. Box grows just dandy in New England and the midAtlantic states, which tend to have moderate to very acidic soils.

I'm not sure how box (Buxus spp) got the reputation for disliking acid soils - it doesn't, provided the soil is not excessively acidic. Most plants tolerate a rather wide range of pH and the vast majority - including almost all common broadleaf evergreen landscape shrubs - will be happy in slightly acidic soils.

ha, ha - yes I have a tendency to overthink things. Thanks for the feedback.

you should start with a soil test.. to determine your soils pH ....

and then go from there ...

its not really about the plants.. its about the soil ...

ken

Didn't realize how scientific gardening is! So then I use "direct point" fertilization of each plant depending upon soil pH?

Do you know what your pH is now? If it is in the 6.0 to 6.5 range, you are good to go for any of these plants. I have no idea what "direct point" fertilization is but for plants established in the landscape, additional fertilizing is seldom required, even less so if you mulch routinely.

Lime is typically considered a soil amendment rather than a fertilizer and is used to raise pH if soil is overly acidic.

I can grow boxwood as far as soil pH (though temperature is sometimes iffy) and have one right next to a rhododendron in my rather acid soil, so you should be fine.

Thanks for all the helpful input. Looking forward to planting the boxwoods. Gardengal - I need to buy another test kit. One more question: What software do you use to put a picture on Gardenweb if the picture is taken from a phone?

if you just ID plants you see in the neighborhood ... and get them IDd ... then you can pretty easily know what will grow in your yard ...

there are extremely few plants that need highly specific soils..

and there are extremely few places that have soils that are so extreme.. that you have to select the plants for the soil ...

i think .. you are way out on the wrong limb here ... 99.999999% of the time.. its simply not an issue ...

and in the last 25 years.. i have not fert'd anything.. so dont go all skinny momma thinking you are going to have to individually feed every single plant for life ...

a quick call to your county Ag office... or extension office ... will probably get you a fast answer .. generally speaking ... on the soils of your county ...

they also offer professional soils test for probably less than the kit you will buy ...

it simply isnt really an issue.. most of the time ...

BTW .. back in the day.. i had over 100 roses .. for near ten years... i was never aware they were acid loving ... in any sense of the word ...

good luck .... and join a local garden club ... you will probably learn so much.. so fast.. your head will spin .. and.. its garden touring time.. in your local area ... a great way to see.. what will grow near you

ken

ok, will do

Thanks for the encouragement.