Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean that you are relegated look at a stark landscape for months on end. There are many plants that add winter interest that you can add to your landscape. Some of these plants can also supply refuge and a food source for birds when they need it most. Try adding a few of these to your home for winter beauty.
Red twig dogwood
These dogwoods are different than the ones you see blooming white along the roadways in the spring. These dogwoods have bright red bark that looks great in the winter once they lose their leaves. They get 6-9 feet tall but can be pruned to keep them a smaller size if needed. They benefit from the older growth being taken off as the newer branches are brighter. They look nice year around boasting spring blossoms, good foliage through summer and berries in summer to fall.
Rosemary
This evergreen has nice foliage year-round. It does bloom in the spring and summer and is a nice plant to give a fragrance from the leaves year-round if you crush it in your hand. There are many varieties, including dwarfs and upright to choose from. This is a good plant to have if you are fond of cooking as well.
Inkberry Holly
This is a slow growing evergreen shrub and has good winter color. This holly has smooth leaves, which is a departure from most hollies. This shrub can get 5-10’ tall and gets very dark blue or black berries.
Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick
This plant goes dormant in the winter, leaving only gnarly corkscrew like limbs. These look interesting in a winter landscape, especially without the leaves. These shrubs can reach up to 8’ in height. They can be pruned to keep smaller longer and look nice in planters as well.
Camelia Japonica
This beautiful evergreen shrub has dark green leaves year-round. It also blooms in the winter, unlike it’s camelia sasanqua counterpart that blooms in the fall. If you’re shopping for a camelia, make sure to verify that you are getting the japonica if you want the winter blooms. There are over 30,000 cultivars ranging in size and bloom color to choose from.
Winter Berry Holly
This is a holly that losses it’s leaves in the winter and shows off its red berries well for that reason. The berries stay on the shrub until spring when it flushes its dark green leaves again. There are a range of cultivars that can grow anywhere from 3’ to 15’ tall. You do need to make sure that you have mostly female shrubs, and at least one male to pollinate the females for the best color show. These really stand out well in the winter landscape.