You may think that winter is a combination of whites, grays and blacks in the landscape. But the unique attributes of a few well chosen plants in your garden can provide interest to an otherwise bleak winter landscape.
Some characteristics that plants can offer during the winter are exfoliating bark, colorful stems and berries, texture, striking structure forms and movement.
Trees and shrubs with exfoliating bark will add visual interest all year long, but during the winter months, when the branches are bare, is when the exfoliating bark is no longer hidden by leaves, and the plant becomes very noticeable in the garden. Peeling and curling bark often reveals a different color below and will add a sophisticated touch to any garden. Plants with exfoliating bark include Acer griseum x nikoense Gingerbread or Paperbark Maple, Betula nigra Heritage Riverbirch, Heptacodium miconioides Seven Son flower, Pinus bungeana Lacebark pine, and Cornus mas or Cornelian cherry.
One of the easiest ways to add outstanding visual impact for winter interest is to plant en masse a large group of multi-stemmed deciduous shrubs with colorful stems and twigs. Plants to consider are Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Flame’ or Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ and ‘Hedgerows Gold’ which has yellowish stems. Flame willow or Salix alba ‘Flame’ has the best red twig color that I know of. The aforementioned plants can be planted separately or mixed together, for a tapestry of vibrant winter color. Regular pruning in late winter before new growth emerges keeps these plants looking fresh. For the dogwoods, cut about a third of the oldest stems back to the ground to encourage new, more colorful stems. It is best to cut coral willow stems completely to the ground each year using it as a cut back plant.
Ornamental grasses add color, texture, and movement to the winter garden, and create interesting contrast when they are planted in front of evergreen plants. Many provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. Recommended ornamental grasses for winter interest are Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ or fountain grass, Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ or Little Bluestem grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ maiden grass and Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foster’ feather reed grass. Like all perennials left standing for winter interest, ornamental grasses must be cut back to the ground before new growth emerges in the spring.
An attention getter for adding winter interest to gardens is using plants with berries that persist throughout the winter. Noteworthy plants to consider for their red and gold berries are Ilex verticillata ‘Stoplight’ and ‘Winter Red’ for red berries, Ilex verticillata ‘Goldfinch’ and ‘Winter Gold’ for their yellow berries, and a new introduction Ilex verticillata ‘Afterglow’ is noted for its orange berries. Remember that all female hollies that produce colorful berries will need a male holly to pollinate it.
“… that beautiful half-blown Christmas rose, just peeping from the snow that had hitherto, no doubt, defended it from the frost, and was now melting away in the sun…” —Anne Bronte, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Craig Dupée is a garden-design consultant. He lives in Ewing with his wife and daughters. Send him your email questions at hort1014u@aol.com.
