For landscape and garden designers, developing a planting scheme that thrives year-round, particularly during the winter months, can be a unique challenge. As a designer, you’ll want to ensure that each client’s garden looks as vibrant and engaging in the colder months as it does during spring and summer. Incorporating specific plants that hold their structure, colour, and form through winter can transform an outdoor space from barren to breathtaking.
In this article, we’ll explore a selection of grasses, flowers, shrubs, hedging, and trees that not only withstand the winter season but bring distinctive beauty to gardens year-round. These plants can enhance the garden’s structure and provide vital colour and texture, giving homeowners something to enjoy even on the coldest days.
- Ornamental Grasses for Movement and Texture
Ornamental grasses are ideal for adding texture and movement to a garden, even in winter when other plants have gone dormant. They are low maintenance, and many retain their seed heads and foliage during colder months, catching frost and providing dynamic beauty.
- Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass): This hardy grass retains its feathery plumes well into winter, bringing soft silvery tones that sway in the breeze. Varieties like ‘Morning Light’ and ‘Gracillimus’ have fine leaves and can reach impressive heights, making them perfect for both border backdrops and central focal points.
- Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass): With its soft, arching stems and bottlebrush-like flowers, Pennisetum offers a unique visual effect. Varieties like ‘Hameln’ and ‘Moudry’ keep their form through early winter, adding structure and interest.
- Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’: This upright grass is known for its vertical growth and striking form, which holds even under snow. Its golden hues in winter make it a beautiful addition to a garden with minimal maintenance requirements.
- Winter-Flowering Plants to Brighten Dark Days
Winter-flowering plants are excellent for adding bursts of colour during the colder months, giving the garden unexpected life and brightness.
- Helleborus orientalis (Lenten Rose): Known for its elegant blooms that appear from late winter into early spring, Helleborus orientalis comes in a range of colours, from creamy whites to deep purples. This resilient plant is deer-resistant and perfect for partially shaded spots.
- Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite): Small yet impactful, Winter Aconite features sunny yellow blooms that pop against the winter landscape. This plant naturalises easily, creating a cheerful carpet of colour.
- Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’: A large deciduous shrub, Viburnum ‘Dawn’ produces clusters of fragrant pink flowers on bare stems from late autumn to early spring. It’s perfect for creating a standout display in borders or near pathways where its scent can be appreciated.
- Structural Shrubs and Hedging for Year-Round Interest
Shrubs and hedging plants provide vital structure in a garden, serving as the framework that carries the design through all seasons. When choosing winter-interest shrubs, consider both form and foliage to create striking winter visuals.
- Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (Red-barked Dogwood): Known for its vibrant red stems, Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ is an exceptional choice for winter. When planted in groups or alongside evergreens, its bright colour contrasts beautifully, adding depth to the winter garden.
- Ilex aquifolium (English Holly): This classic winter plant offers evergreen leaves and red berries that are synonymous with the winter season. As a shrub or small tree, Ilex aquifolium adds a robust structure and a touch of festive colour.
- Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood): Boxwood is an essential hedge plant for winter gardens. With its dense, evergreen foliage, it can be shaped into various forms, from formal hedges to topiary shapes, bringing elegance and definition to any landscape design.
- Trees for Winter Appeal and Focal Points
Selecting trees with winter interest can anchor a garden design, providing height and structure as well as visual focal points. Opt for trees with distinct bark, berries, or unique branch structures that shine in winter.
- Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch): Known for its striking white bark, the Himalayan Birch stands out beautifully against winter landscapes. Its elegant, peeling bark adds a sculptural element, particularly in grouped plantings.
- Prunus serrula (Tibetan Cherry): This tree is admired for its glossy, mahogany-coloured bark, which becomes especially noticeable in winter. The bark peels gently, revealing a polished copper-red surface that adds warmth to the garden.
- Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple): With peeling, cinnamon-coloured bark, Acer griseum brings warmth and texture to the garden. This small, ornamental tree also has a beautiful branching habit, providing interest through all seasons.
- Evergreens for Consistent Colour
Evergreen plants are essential for maintaining colour in a winter garden. Their foliage adds a lush, vibrant backdrop that highlights other winter-interest plants.
- Skimmia japonica: This low-growing shrub maintains dark green foliage year-round and produces bright red berries in winter. Skimmia japonica is also shade-tolerant, making it ideal for underplanting or creating a lower level of greenery.
- Mahonia x media ‘Charity’: Known for its upright spikes of yellow flowers, Mahonia adds architectural interest to the winter garden. The flowers are followed by blue-black berries, making it a versatile plant for both colour and structure.
- Taxus baccata (English Yew): A classic evergreen, English Yew provides dense, dark green foliage that can be pruned into formal shapes or left to grow naturally. This versatile plant offers a stable backdrop for brighter winter-interest plants.
Creating a Balanced Planting Scheme for Winter Gardens
When designing a winter garden, it’s important to balance evergreen plants with deciduous species that have unique bark, berries, or structural forms. Contrast grasses and flowering plants with shrubs and trees to ensure variation in colour, texture, and height.
Incorporating a range of winter-interest plants allows you to create visually engaging gardens that stay captivating and colourful year-round. By selecting species with complementary textures, colours, and structures, you can craft a planting scheme that remains resilient, low-maintenance, and full of life—even in the depths of winter. This thoughtful approach to plant selection can result in a garden that surprises and delights homeowners, making the winter landscape as appealing as any other season.
Interested in creating a garden design that dazzles in winter? Contact us for a chat about how we can help.