Love Your Garden All Winter Long

Winterberries in Winter

When planning my home garden nearly 18 years ago, I didn’t think about the way it would look during the long, dreary months of late Fall and Winter. I live in northern Illinois, and the leafless season lasts almost six months of the year. I had a pretty good-looking garden early on with plenty of Spring flowering bulbs, trees, shrubs, and even a cutting garden to supply my indoor bouquets in Summer. But by late July, the garden died down, and there wasn’t much happening after that. The show was over.

I had, in effect, created a garden that would look good for only three months. I would have to wait another nine before the next gardening season would begin. Fortunately, I read an article about designing gardens for Winter interest in my favorite magazine, Fine Gardening. This was a revelation to me, and since then, I see my garden in a whole new way. It has become my mission to transform my yard with the right things that bring cold-season visual interest, too.

Architectural objects

Begin by focusing to enliven the key areas outside that you see most often in Winter…the drive up the driveway, the front entrance, the back patio, or the view out a main window. Evergreens and conifers serve well as a beautiful backdrop in the landscape to everything else (See my blog: Enjoying Evergreens and Conifers in the Winter Landscape, Feb. 24, 2011). Then, it’s the trees, shrubs and perennials that have strong architectural structure, colored stems, a fruiting habit, interesting bark, or seed heads that take center stage. Ornamental grasses add color, texture and movement in Winter. Architectural elements also play a nice role in Winter. Hardscapes like pergolas, arches, fences, rock walls, boulders, statues, columns, bird baths, feeders, and containers are nice to work into beds. These are the features that are eye-catching and make great focal points to view year round.

Colorful Branches. Let me begin with the showiest plants of all for Winter interest, the Dogwoods. The contrasting colorful stems of the Redtwig and Yellowtwig Dogwoods develop with the onset of cold weather.  They are magnificent in Winter and are worthy to purchase for this reason alone. Snip some for your Christmas and Winter outdoor containers. Their tall and upright habit make them a nice choice for a hedge the remainder of the year.

Many Dogwoods are northern Illinois Natives and very cold hardy. You can expect them to grow 6 – 8′ in height and spread. The foliage in Summer is dark green. In Winter, the brightest color appears on year-old stems, so regular pruning is a must to keep these shrubs colorful. Prune out the old stems (thicker, brown) in Spring to encourage new stem growth from the base. Overgrown Dogwoods lacking good color can be renewed by pruning all stems down to within a few inches of the ground. Full sun or partial shade for all.

Cardinal Redtwig Dogwood

Cornus sericea Redtwig Dogwood ‘Cardinal’. Primarily grown for its outstanding bright coral-red twig color. During Spring, tiny white flowers appear then turn into bluish-white berries that are attractive to birds. The Fall leaf color is a reddish-purple.

Redtwig Dogwood

Cornus sericea Redtwig Dogwood ‘Baileyi’. This cultivar produces beautiful dark wine-red stems in Winter. Fall leaf color is red-purple.

Avalon Gold Redtwig Dogwood

Cornus sericea Dogwood ‘Avalon Gold‘. Distinctive golden-yellow Spring and Summer foliage with wine-red branches in Winter.

Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’. The twigs in Winter are orange and yellow instead of red.

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Cornus sericea Yellowtwig Dogwood ‘Bud’s Yellow’. Shrub with bright yellow stems in Winter and nice yellow Fall foliage color.

Yellowtwig Dogwood Buds Yellow

Var. Redtwig Dogwood ‘Summer Dreams’

Cornus sericea Variegated Redtwig Dogwood ‘Summer Dreams’. The leaf on this Redtwig is much more beautiful than the others having clean white margins on green. Its mounded, more compact form (4-6′ height) makes it more accommodating for beds surrounding the home.

Redtwig Dogwood

Yellowtwig Dogwood

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Berry Producers. I love these shrubs whose berries persist into Winter and provide interest and a food source for birds and wildlife.

Ilex verticillata Winterberry Holly ‘Red Sprite’ (Female). This is an award-winning cultivar with compact form (3-5′) producing large red berries.

Ilex Winterberry

A wonderful food source for Winter birds

Afterglow Ilex Winterberry

Ilex verticillata ‘Afterglow’ Winterberry (Female). Has an attractive orange-red fruit in Winter; yellow-purple Fall color.

Goldfinch Ilex Winterberry

Ilex. ver. ‘Goldfinch’ (Female). Yellow Fall color and golden yellow fruit.

Goldfinch against a blue sky

Jim Dandy Ilex Winterberry

Ilex ver. Winterberry ‘Jim Dandy’ (Male pollinator). Buy at least one for every three female Ilex’s named above to get a good production of berries. The leaf in Summer is a nice bright celery green with a waxy texture.

Juniper evergreens. Junipers are commonly used in the Japanese-styled gardens in our area. The blue cone berry is both wonderfully colorful and ornamental.

Blue cone berries on the Juniper

A food source for wild animals, too!

Callicarpa Beautyberry

Callicarpa Beautyberry

Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’ Beautyberry. A 2008 Plant of Merit Award Winner by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Small lavender pink flowers appear in early summer and then large clusters of bright, glossy, amethyst-purple fruit adorn the leaf axils along the branches in Fall retaining its color into early Winter. Grows 3-4 feet tall and a little wider. Fruits are attractive to birds.  Prune the stems back to 6 inches in early Spring. Truthfully, this shrub isn’t much to look at most of the year, but the purple berries in Fall make it well worth the wait and garden space. Grows in full sun to full shade.

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Holds Their Blooms. The newer varieties of Hydrangeas stand up to Winter’s inclement weather with strong, sturdy stems that do not break or flop. My favorite are the Oak Leaf Hydrangeas for leaf shape, Fall color, exfoliating bark, and panicle-shaped flowers.

Hydrangea quercifolia Oak Leaf ‘Alice’. 6-12′ height and width. Flowers are large 12″ white panicles on beautiful dark green, oak leaf-shaped leaves with absolultely fantastic Fall burgundy red color. Mine are not large enough to photograph in Winter yet, but this is the color in Autumn.

Alice Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia Oak Leaf ‘Snowflake’. This is a large double white flowering variety that turns dark pink-purple as you go through the season. Fall foliage color is wine-red. I think this is the best you can buy.

Oakleaf Hydrangea Snowflake

Double flowers of Oakleaf Hydrangea Snowflake

Oakleaf Hydrangea Snow Queen

Hydrangea quercifolia Oak Leaf ‘Snow Queen’. A smaller hydrangea for tight spaces (4-6′ height and width). Beautiful burgundy red Fall color. Consider planting several side by side to form a hedge.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelights’. 2009 Royal Horticultural Society award-winner. Fantastic bright lime green flowers in late Summer which turn copper in Fall then brown in Winter.

Limelights in Summer

Pinky Winky Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pinky Winky’. Lovely large, panicle shaped pink flowers appear earlier than the other varieties.

Hydrangea hold onto their blooms all Winter

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Interesting Branches. I love the Japanese Maples in Winter for their horizontal branching form.

Bloodgood Japanese Red Leaf Maple

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’).  This is an interesting specimen hazelnut with a contorted branching habit that makes a great statement in the Winter garden. My friend has one perfectly placed as a focal point in a bed at the home’s front entrance.

Corylus avellana Contorta Henry Lauders Walking Stick

Henry Lauders Walking Stick

Salix Corkscrew Willow

The Salix Willow trees are also showy in Winter. This photo is one of four large ‘Corkscrew’ trees in a neighbor’s yard and is always a pleasure to look at when driving by. A newer variety is the Coral-bark Willow Salix alba ‘Britzensis’, a Willow with golden stems and red-orange twigs. Willows can grow quite large, but you can cut the plant nearly to the ground each year in early spring and produce a medium-size shrub composed entirely of colorful young stems that will glow in the winter landscape. The curly and corkscrew forms are fun, and make great additions to Winter containers. Willows prefer full sun and moist soil. Got a wet area or standing water in your yard? Plant a Willow!

With a little planning and planting time just around the corner you could make sure you have the right things in your yard to enjoy next Winter. Look beyond the bloom when contemplating a purchase, and use branching, stem color, fruiting, and bark to get year-long interest. There are plenty of beautiful things that are at their very best in Winter making the passing of time a pleasure.

Awaiting the arrival of Spring

Enjoying Evergreens and Conifers in the Winter Landscape

e had a blizzard a few weeks back that dumped more snow than I can remember into my garden beds. When I looked out my windows the next morning I was rewarded with one of life’s most beautiful scenes — that of fresh fallen snow on the winter landscape before human or dog make their presence known. Quiet and lovely, these snow formations take rest upon the branches of the many evergreen trees and shrubs in my yard creating a visual scene reminiscent of a Robert Frost poem. I am grateful to have a really beautiful yard during the long months of winter, and I know the source of its beauty. I have evergreens!

Evergreens and conifers (means cone bearing) work beautifully in the landscape all year long but are most appreciated in winter. Unlike annuals, perennials and deciduous trees, they retain their foliage or needles year round. When nothing else is happening in the garden, evergreens put on a show all by themselves.

Plant as many large conifers as your yard can accommodate, but place them at a slight distance from your home or other structures. They work great to block unsightly views and as wind breaks and noise blockers. Large evergreen trees create an atmosphere of calm and provide a home for the more sought-after birds. Having a group of conifers in your yard is like having a group of friends’ always there waiting for your return. And in spring, it is a delight to see the bright new growth come through.

I have lots of large conifer groupings in my yard. Most of them want full sun. I especially love the blue-hued ones because they make a wonderful backdrop and backbone color to the garden that blends perfectly with the fall colors of my shrubs and perennials.  Autumn’s shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown work like magic alongside the color blue and produce the “wow” factor when seen alongside one another. Here are some of my favorites:

Concolor Fir

Abies Concolor White Fir. Concolors are native to the mountain ranges of western North America and grow large to a height of 50’ or more. The needles are flattened and range in shade from green to glaucous blue-green. This is one handsome tree! It is underused here and normally just seen in parks or botanical gardens. I placed six beautiful, young trees at two schools last year. The Concolor is very drought resistant and hardy in Zone 5 making it a nice choice for home yards here.

'Canadian' Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis ‘Canadian’ Hemlock.   I love the dainty, blue-green branches of this species, but offer it a shady site with some protection from winter winds. It makes a nice specimen planted singly. Several planted together in a row to divide a property line or as a backdrop to a driveway is stunning. These trees will soon grow into a dense hedge.

Frazier Fir

Frazier Fir. We all love this for our family Christmas tree, but rarely do you see it planted in a yard. This tree is gorgeous with its silver and dark blue-green colors, fragrance and elegant shape. The branches fan out resembling outstretched hands. It is also plenty hardy in Zone 5.

Serbian Spruce

Serbian Spruce.   The needles have an interesting silver-blue and green color combination. The pine cones in spring emerge as elongated, purple clusters. The form is dense and compact; it does not spread its arms wide like some species, making it suitable for smaller yards. The tree is very unique and attractive like my dog Sam. It’s pyramidal shape and sturdy branches make it the perfect choice to decorate at Christmas time.

Japanese White Pine 'Glauca'

Japanese White Pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Glauca’). For those who enjoy a garden with an Asian flair this is a real specimen tree with its silvery-blue needles and beautiful pinecones. Although this tree will grow up to 45’ tall and spread up to 30’ wide, I planted mine in my back bed against the house and keep it pruned to keep inbounds. Here it serves as a ladder to bring the fragrance of a very vigorous Sweet Autumn Clematis vine up to my bedroom window.

'Horstmann's Silberlocke'

Abies Koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke.’ BEAUTIFUL! The needles of this seldom-encountered fir are strongly curved upright. New growth exposes a brilliant white undersurface, giving the impression of a flocked tree. Very eye-catching, with cones that are steely blue in color. Grows to 20 feet or more over 15-20 years. Begins at Zone 5 so could be a little risky but worth the risk to me.

Dwarf and Intermediate Evergreen shrubs make excellent foundation plantings around your house and garage. They are compact and fit in well as wonderful accents to existing shrubs and perennials in your beds. They are also a great backdrop to summer blooming annuals and perennials. They will be what you see out your windows in winter, so make sure you use enough of them.

'Fat Albert' Dwarf Alberta Spruce

‘Fat Albert’ dwarf Alberta Spruce. It has the appearance of a typical Blue Spruce only it is grafted onto dwarf rootstock, and therefore, will grow wide and chubby but not tall. I had my 17-year-old ‘Fat Albert’ trimmed last year when it began to overtake my front entrance. Entire branches were pruned out and the tree reshaped into a narrower form making the new appearance much more tidy. It no longer dominates the view out my window. You normally wouldn’t trim an evergreen tree, but you may certainly do so to correct a problem like dead, diseased, crossing, rubbing, or damaged branches. And, overgrown or unsightly conifer shrubs can be rehabilitated with hard pruning resulting in a more manicured look.

'Howell's Dwarf Tigertail'

‘Howell’s Dwarf Tigertail’ Picea alcoquiana. A little less cold hardy here but a stunning conifer I first saw last year at a local wholesale nursery. The foliage colors are blueish-green with silver undersides and attractive violet coning. It’s a dwarf which will grow 4-6′ in height in 10 years making it perfect for a front entrance or small bed.

Boxwood

Boxwood. I love the formal look and soft feel of boxwood evergreens. They are widely used in English and French landscape gardens as hedges and for outlining areas. The dwarf sizes make them easy to use tucked into beds along walks, by the deck or patio, or as a lone container planting. The glossy, dark green and waxy leaves are easily sheared into shapes. I have five large boxwood surrounding both sides of an arch pruned into the egg shape. Boxwood evergreens have “wet feet” and thrive in moist conditions, so you need to make sure they get enough water especially under drought conditions.

‘Glauca Globosa’ Globe Spruce

Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’. This is a dwarf, globe-shaped, blue-needled evergreen shrub of the Colorado Spruce. It grows with a flattened top 3-5’ tall and 4-6’ wide making it a nice specimen shrub planted in beds next to the house or in an area where you have boulders or rocks.

These two were in my Christmas front entrance pots and are now being held over in my garage awaiting spring planting in my orange and blue ‘Illini Garden.’

Dwarf Golden False Cypress 'Sungold'

Dwarf Golden False Cypress. (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Sungold’).  It has beautiful gold foliage and will beam brightly in a garden bed. Its interesting flat, thread-leaf needles make it another good choice in an Asian-styled garden. It’s a slow grower, but eventually your patience will be rewarded. Put it where you see it most.

Invite them to your yard!

When planning a landscape or re-doing a garden bed choose a combination of trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials to keep the color and interest going all year long. My goal is to create something really beautiful to see out of each window at any given time during the year. Conifers serve us well to this end. It would be a very long winter without them.

Coming up next: The best ornamental shrubs for Winter interest.