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Winter garden colours - Red, yellow and misty ice blue
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Winter red and warm orange, misty ice blue and cool yellow. These are the colours that are striking in the winter garden. In this article, we suggest the most spectacular winter-flowering plants, selected by their colours.
Frosty pale yellow in the cold
The Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus 'Turesson' has pretty white berries that, although inedible, should not be missing in any larger winter garden. The sunnier the position, the more berries it will produce. The snowberry is a very undemanding shrub and it will grow anywhere, in any soil type. It will even grow in tubs on the patio.
The warm yellow berries of the Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae), bring vibrant colour to the winter garden, contrasting beautifully with the slender, grey leaves. Birds love the shelter that this, originally wild, shrub provides. Sea Buckthorn is an extremely strong shrub that can grow in the most extreme conditions.
The unusual golden-yellow flowering Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is a climber that, even in the severest frost, has branches covered in a wealth of flowers. It is quite a disorderly grower however, and is therefore best tied up on a pergola or to a wall. The shrub is undemanding and will grow in just about any type of soil.
Winter pinks and reds
The red fruits of Gaultheria, a fabulous ground-cover plant, also look splendid in pots or baskets. The fruits appear in October, and by winter the leaves have turned a deep red. The plant likes an acidic soil, rich in humus and is ideal in a heather garden.
Vibirnum bodnantense 'Dawn' produces pink, fragrant flowers on bare branches from November to March. At the end of winter, when the temperature rises slightly, the flowers fade to white. Most Viburnums like a fertile soil rich in humus.
Skimmia japonica has beautiful shiny, leathery, evergreen foliage and pink flower buds (from late autumn to well into spring). The white flowers appear in late spring. It is stunning in the border, but is also attractive in a frost-resistant pot or chunky basket on the patio or garden table. This superb winter plant prefers a soil rich in humus.
Fiery red
The botanical rose Rosa rugosa is decorated in winter with deep red rose hips, which birds will love. Amongst the many different types of rose, shrubs, climbers and standards, most botanical roses like a limy but fertile, light, sandy soil. Do not plant a rose in a damp place.
Holly (Ilex aquifolium) is the classic winter green plant, with its frosted red berries and the beautiful outline of its prickly evergreen foliage. Standard Holly looks spectacular especially in winter, and makes a fine hedge. Light shade is suitable for most varieties, although variegated types should not be planted in deep shade.
Misty ice-blue
The Bergamot plant (Monarda) flowers well into the summer and has a lovely spicy fragrance. But in winter too this plant looks very appealing, with its dramatic profile and dried flower heads. This strong perennial likes a good, fertile garden soil.
The autumn-coloured, dried foliage of ornamental grasses is also decorative in winter, their appearance constantly changing under the influence of wind and rain. When covered in dew, frost or snow, they take on a fragile, surreal appearance.
Flowers
The Christmas Rose Helleborus orientalis always manages to catch you by surprise, with its magical January flowers on elegant stalks. Their colours range from white, raspberry to deep purple. Some are beautifully speckled or otherwise patterned on the inside of the petals.
The Christmas Rose likes a fertile, moisture retaining soil and a sheltered position. If you place it where it can be seen from the house, you can enjoy it from the comfort of your lounge in all weathers. To maximize the number of flowers, cut back the foliage reasonably hard at the start of the winter (October/November).
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