Winter Garden: Plants for Seasonal Interest



Winter is a time in many people’s lives that not only brings coldness and isolation but a sense of dread and discomfort. The treacherous cold seeps into your bones, and every step feels like a painful struggle. It’s as if the frost is a demon, turning everything it touches into ice. Even though there’s seemingly little value in the garden as it enters a period of dormancy, there’s still a repertoire of plants that shine against the snow. 

Small deciduous trees are favored for seasonal winter appeal, while other plants like coneflowers remain attractive even in their dried-up state. If you’re tired of evergreens dotting the landscape, consider focusing on ornamental grasses and trees with visually interesting bark. It’s time to inject new life into your winter garden by adding these beautiful plants. To shelter your plants from the encroaching cold, move them into this well-built greenhouse, designed for both functionality and elegance. 

 

1. Christmas Fern       

Christmas fern is a hardy plant whose evergreen presence makes the drab browns of dead wood look less dead. In the winter, maintain its greenness by keeping it in a moist area bolstered by leaf litter and moss, which quickly transforms a miniature ecosystem teeming with small insects. By spring, its golden fiddleheads unfurl, heralding the arrival of new growth. 

2. Coneflowers      

Coneflowers are effortless perennial flowers that provide interest year-round in their multiplicity of forms: stark seed pods in the winter and blazing flowers in the summer. They look especially stunning when planted in masses, their prickly silhouettes capped with snow like tiny hats.  

3. Pink Muhly Grass  

Plenty of ornamental grasses persist in the winter landscape, but what makes pink muhly grass outshine them is its showy plumes of pink, as if appearing straight out of a fairytale. Unlike many sedges, it rarely self-seeds and grows to 2 – 3 ft tall at maturity – its short stature is a boon to gardeners who fear the invasiveness of other ornamental grasses. 

4. Red Twig Dogwood    

Brightly stemmed dogwood shrubs continue to be the mainstay of winter. Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' is a fiery variety that recalls the glowing embers of a bonfire; yellow twig dogwood is a related cultivar with a Paleolithic yellow hue to it. As an additional decoration, gather a few sticks of this colorful plant to accessorize your garden planters or vases. 

5. Paperbark Maple      

Long after the flowers have died down, the textured bark of the paperbark maple remains. Its bark, a lovely cinnamon color, glowing a rich ember when backlit, is famed for its high ornamental value and well worth the price. Plant near a patio, where guests can reach out and touch its scroll-like bark. 

6. Witch Hazel  

The foliage of the witch hazel may not seem remarkable, but its true value lies in its alien yellow blooms that emerge in the dead of winter. Most commonly yellow, its ribbon-like petals are also available in other colors ranging from purple to magenta. They’re also fragrant, producing a citrusy scent. Witch hazel is adaptable to most conditions, though it does best in environments that resemble its woodland habitat: slightly acidic, well-drained soil.

 

7.Goldenrod           

The partner in crime to coneflowers, goldenrod is a reliable native that lends solidarity in the winter with its sepia-toned seed heads. Apart from trimming a few unruly stalks, leave goldenrod in place to enjoy the muted, russet colors of winter. 

8. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

Wintergreen is a lovely groundcover that dwells in shady areas, often beneath woodland trees. Although its berries are usually a bright red, there is a pale pink variety, Winter Fiesta™ Wintergreen, that ripens to an attractive rosy hue. It prefers acidic soil, making it an excellent companion plant for blueberry bushes. 

9. Hellebore (Lenten Rose)

With few flowers daring to bloom in the bleak midwinter, hellebore is the exception, the cure for winter fever. They’re beautiful to look at, and they’re considered an important source of nectar for hummingbirds. Late-blooming hybrids (Helleborus x hybrids) are known as Lenten Rose. Helleborus 'Dark and Handsome' is a darkly dramatic flower that is the life of the party, while Cascade™ Blush Hellebore features attractive, burgundy blooms. 

10. Manzanita 

Gardeners in arid regions of zones 8 – 10 can consider growing manzanitas, the common name for species in the genus Arctostaphylos. When mature, its branches redden to a prized mahogany red in full sun, curving outwards like corral to provide structural gravitas. 

11. Foxtail Fern       

Foxtail fern is an interesting plant with floppy foliage composed of needle-like leaves. Despite its name, it’s actually a member of the asparagus family and almost resembles a succulent with its unique growth habit. In the fall, it's studded with tiny, crimson berries that are poisonous (it goes without saying that you shouldn’t eat them). Grow in urns along the front porch or in-ground among succulents and tropical transplants for a lush look.

12. Bergenia   

Bergenia is an underrated evergreen that sheds its whimsical bouquet of magenta flowers in winter, giving way to bronze, purple, or red foliage. ‘Winterglow’ and ‘Sunningdale’ are grown by gardeners for their multi-season interest. 

13.Snowberry          

Berry-producing plants are of particular interest during the winter, and snowberries are no exception. Snowberry 'Charming Fantasy' is a unique variety that lives up to its winter wonderland aesthetic with its pink-blushed fruit. A deeply rooted plant, snowberry is often used to control erosion on slopes and fill in derelict areas. Serving as a food source, the berries are often foraged by birds during the winter. 

14. English Laurel 

A fast-growing shrub often used for hedges, English laurel is notable for its dense screens of privacy. When molded into a rounded topiary, it maintains its form throughout the year. Its versatility makes it applicable for a wide variety of settings, from an idyllic Mediterranean garden to a formal cottage garden.