Winter Interest

As a gardner of several decades, I try to focus on planting plants that can give me a three season wonderment, four is also a goal. So with that said, lets share here our plants of winter interest.
Its November 14, cold, and a sweet hydranga makes me smile.

 

I think of Hydrangea as being more Summer / Autumn interest than Winter? - although the "dead" flower heads can look attractive in Winter. Maybe they have later seasons over your way, although I guess you are colder than us in Winter?

We are designing a winter-interest garden - intended to be visible from the kitchen/diner area so that on foul Autumn and Winter days you don't have to actually go outside to enjoy it!

For Autumn we are concentrating on Acer for leaves, with a few larger Autumn-interest trees behind them - Liquidambar for example.

Then, in front, some Cornus with attractively coloured stems for Winter (which will be stooled to get fresh stems each year). I guess we will plant Hellebores and Cyclamen under them.

Perhaps some silver birch too - particularly the very white bark of B. jacquemontii

In front we will plant Daffodils for Spring colour (although the view from the house is to the South, and I expect the Daffs will turn their heads that way, so mostly we'll just see their backsides!)

 

I kinda lack interest outdoors in the winter!

Mind you, here is my winter blooming Salvia elegans.................


Going to be a bit of a challenge to get a good display from them, but I'm enjoying the challenge.

I have this unknown Hebe in this garden which will bloom through the winter.................

 

It's probably 'common-as-muck' now, but I planted Photinia 'Pink Marble' in the bed by the kitchen window. It's pretty all year round.

 

Good point Worth looking for Mahonia Soft Caress too - its nicely different to the normal M. "Charity" (although that's a worthy plant too)

 

I have a circle of the Cornus with attractively red coloured stems for Winter down behind the gazebo in the bottom valley. It is pretty against the white snow. The other pretty shrubs, one of my favorite for winter interest is the calacarpia, the purple berries hold for a long time into the cold white winter. It can become very cold here, 10 degrees to zero degrees F. I really focus on hydranges that are zone 4 or 5 to plant.

 

Kirsten, I went a-looking for a mahonia soft caress yesterday.... I have to admit, when I saw the price, I recalled in shock, and left the plant in the garden centre.

Am I really that much out of touch? I know it has been a long time since I've spent serious money on shrubs, but £20 for a plant? Is that a fair price for a 1.5 or 2 litre pot? (Plant not filling, but also not looking dwarfed)

 

Its a fair price for an unusual plant in a garden centre, might pay less in a specialist nursery perhaps? I Googled some online prices - carriage to add of course.

Spalding Plant & Bulb Co 15cm £18.95
CGF 3L £19.00Hillier 19cm 3L £22.99
Crocus & Gardening Express 3L £24.99
Urban Jungle 5L £39.99

 

Ty Kristen. You resisted saying it, but yes, I really am that much out of touch!! :-)