Get inspired for winter

Winter can be the dullest time in the garden with poor daylight and short days, but you can brighten up your garden with some winter colour to make the garden so much better.

Winter flowering trees and shrubs, coloured evergreen foliage and brightly-coloured stems can all add winter cheer to the garden and make it look so much more inviting.

Mahonia “Winter Sun”, “Charity” or other cultivars will produce long-lasting flowers from November to March exuding exquisite lily-of-the-valley-like perfume throughout this period on long racemes of pale yellow flowers.

The evergreen leaves are very architectural and being tough and leathery withstand the coldest of weather. They are suited to semi-shaded situations.

The Sweet Box, Sarcococca, is a compact low-growing evergreen shrub with small oval glossy dark-green leaves with very fragrant tiny creamy-white flowers during the winter months, followed by small, black berries in summer. It will grow in sun or shade and prefers a fertile soil, which does not dry out too much.

Although, essentially a spring flower, the Skimmia genus provides interesting winter colour. Skimmia japonica “Rubella” has striking red flower buds throughout the winter followed by small white flowers. Unfortunately this is a male form, which will not have berries like its female relations.

December is the month to think about hollies and Ilex “Silver Van Tol” is the ideal variegated form which is self-pollinating so can be grown on its own and still produce a reliable crop of berries.

Ilex “Golden King” is a female variety with smooth, yellow variegated leaves, which is well sought after but does require a male companion if it is to berry.

Bright foliage is particularly important during the dark days and the variegated Aucuba japonica has some outstanding cultivars, which will grow in full sun through to shade.

The brightly yellow-blotched leaves are outstanding with the winter sun on them and will light up the dullest corner. A. “Angelon” reliably produces berries although these may be partly concealed by the foliage.

Variegated Elaeagnus are at their brightest in winter and thrive in most situations, sun or shade. They are tough leaved with a variety of patterns according to the cultivar, such as E. pungens “Macculata” with a bright golden splash in the leaf or “Gilt Edge” with a golden margin.

Elaeagnus X ebbingei “Limelight” has dark green leaves with a pale green and yellow marking in the centre. Small fragrant white flowers are seen in late summer-autumn.

Why not treat your garden to some winter colour by investing in a winter interest shrub or tree to brighten up the winter gloom and before you know where you are it will be spring.

There are some stunning plants to choose at a plant centre near you.

WINTER GARDEN GROUND RULES:

• Move deciduous trees and shrubs as soon as the leaves have fallen.
• Plant new deciduous trees, shrubs, roses, cane and bush fruits.
• Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of rhubarb and replant in well-manured ground.
• Order seeds for next year from mail order catalogues.
• Clean up seed trays and pots ready for spring.

By Martin Ford