Berries are a great addition to your winter landscape.Yesterday I gave you a list of plants with red, blue and black berries to prove that there is more than red on the winter landscape.Today are a few examples of Berries of white and yellow. At the end I also included plants with cones even though that would go more to texture which is my next topic.
WHITE BERRIES
One of the most well-known berry producing plants gets its common name from the stunning white berries that adorn it fall and winter each year; the Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). It grows 3 to 5 ft. tall and is hardy to Zone 3. The Common Snowberry tolerates shade or sun equally well and is tough enough to handle most soil conditions as well.
Newer cultivars show a nice range of berries like the blush pink hues in the Charming Fantasy Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus 'Kolcharm') and the green "nipples" (the small tag left on the berry from where the flower was) on the berries of Bright Fantasy Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus 'Bokrabright') making for nice specimens in any planting. Very hardy, this...
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Berries are a great addition to your winter landscape.And beyond the expected red berries of winter, there are other colors you can have as well, even in the colder climats of the Midwest.I have provided Red, Blue and Black today and will continue with other color tomorrow.
RED BERRIES
Fendler's Barbery ( Berberis fendleri) is plant with beautiful sprays of red berries. In this picture you can clearly see the dangling berries that add so much interest to a winter garden. The spreading branches are lovely in their own right and all along each stem are delicate strings of red berries. Like all Barberry, this cultivar has spreading, thorny branches, dangling stems of blooms in the spring that create a showery effect in the garden, and of course, the edible red berries in the late fall and winter. Hardy in Zones 4-8 Barberry prefers part shade and loamy soil.
The Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaeus) is a pretty shrub or small tree with dangling clusters of reddish-pink, lobed fruits. The berries are poisonous so if you have children be aware of that, however the display is spectacular. A native in the UK it...
Just because a flower doesn’t bloom in winter doesn’t mean it can’t still provide interest to the garden. These plants all have seeds or seedpods that catch the eye in the garden, or catch the snow and make beautiful sculptures in the landscape.
A tree you can utilize in the garden to provide winter interest is the Golden-Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). Hardy in zones 5-9 this medium tree grows to a maximum of 30-40’ tall. Tolerating otherwise difficult areas this deciduous tree has brown Japanese lantern-shaped seedpods decorating it throughout the winter. These delicate looking seeds add an element of elegance to a winter landscape.
Purple-leaf Hazel (Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea’) is a large shrub that provides a winter focal point. This upright shrub grows to 20’ tall in zones 5-8 and in the winter is covered in beautiful purplish catkins. It also produces edible hazelnuts making it an excellent addition to the garden.
A group of shrubs that holds interest during the winter is the Hydrangea spp. Whatever your favorite variety of this beloved flowering shrub happens to be, the large blossom clusters form lasting dried flower heads that benefit the winter landscape. Just let the...[More]
It almost seems an oxymoron; winter blooms. When I first began to discover the potential around me for colorful flowers during the winter "dormant period" I was amazed. By carefully selecting a few of the plant varieties we’ll discuss below, you will be able to enjoy beautiful winter blossoms even with snow on the ground.
Some of the most useful winter-flowering shrubs in the average landscape are the witch hazels (Hamamelis spp.). These shrubs usually grow around 12 to 20’ tall although this depends on the variety. In a range extending from Nova Scotia, west to Ontario, and south to Texas, and Florida, common witch hazel flourishes on shaded north-facing slopes, along fence rows, country roads, and the stony banks of brooks. The lovely floral fragrance is a delight in the dead of winter.
All varieties have late-autumn to winter blooms that appear like magic on the dark, bare branches. The rounded and open growth habit makes for a lovely addition to the garden in summer as well. Check for hardiness as some varieties are hardy through zone 7 or some all the way through 3 or 4.
Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) a broadleaf evergreen shrub can...[More]
Is your winter garden dull and dreary? Or full of beauty and interest no matter what time of the year? Want to learn to increase the winter beauty in your landscape?Beauty in the winter landscape can be found in:
Winter Blooms -- Yes, flowers in the winter are possible.
Seeds & Seedpods -- Beautiful snow catching, and eye catching additions to the winter garden.
Berries -- Sometimes seeds are in the form of brilliant berry clusters.
Shapes & Silhouettes -- Even without leaves plants can be beautiful or unique.
Barks -- From subdued to fiery, there are plenty of choices.
Evergreens -- The classic staple of the four-season garden.
I have to admit that for me, thinking of my garden from a year-round perspective took a bit of time to learn. Even though I am not one to buy plants that are blooming and I like perennials which have staggered bloom times, I still had a habit of planting what would look good at the height of the season, say June and July, leaving me with nothing but a bed mounding with shrub-like herbs, no flowers and an snarl of plants by August and September.Learning to pre-plan... [More]
