Planting for Winter Interest
Bringing colour to the bleaker months
Winter is often considered to be a difficult time of year for plants, with colder weather and darker days leading to many varieties lacking colour to brighten up a planting scheme. However, careful planning and consideration when making planting choices can ensure a beautiful landscape all year round.
Colour comes in many forms, whether it’s from vibrant stems, flowers, berries, or foliage, and many plants can provide interest through a variation of these. In addition to the visual benefits of flowers, selecting those that are highly scented adds an extra dimension to green spaces. These plants in particular are great for planting near entrances and seating areas, to fully appreciate the scent.
Many plants for winter interest can be useful for planting in containers. This means that their position can be changed throughout the year to give them a more prominent position in your green space, depending on when they are looking their best. Some will require slightly more winter protection, so container planting means you can give them a more sheltered position, particularly at this time of year. Grouping container plants together can provide a stunning effect, and also bring additional protection from extreme temperatures.
As well as the aesthetic appeal, plants with winter colour can be vital for supporting local ecosystems. For example, many winter flowering plants are able to provide a rich supply of nectar and pollen. Nectar is sugar water that a variety of insects, such as bees, wasps, and butterflies, consume to provide them with the energy they need to mate and nest, whilst pollen is a source of protein that young bees are fed, providing them with the nutrients they need to grow healthily. Bees, in particular, are essential in supporting food production, and maintaining the balance of ecosystems, so planting with them in mind is extremely important.
Our Winter Planting Recommendations
Cyclamen hederifolium SilverMe Pink
Cyclamen hederifolium
Hardy cyclamen, such as Cyclamen hederifolium, are a great option for winter planting. Cyclamen hederifolium is a perennial that blooms upright, pink or white flowers from autumn, with a carpet of heart-shaped, marbled leaves until spring. This perennial is great for containers, groundcover, and underplanting trees, and prefers a sheltered position in light shade. Grows to a compact height of 10cm.
Helleborus niger
Commonly known as Christmas rose, Helleborus niger is a clump-forming perennial that boasts dark green leathery leaves with white or pink-flushed flat-faced flowers from winter to spring. It’s ideal for growing in the front of borders, and prefers moist but well-drained soil, in a sheltered, partially shaded position.
Helleborus niger
Ilex aquifolium
A slow growing, native evergreen species with spiny, green foliage and a bushy habit. Depending on the variety, it can grow up to 10m in height. Ilex aquifolium blooms white flowers from late spring or summer and pollinated female plants produce vibrant red berries in autumn and winter. Suitable for growing as hedging, a clipped bush, or as a specimen.
Jasminum nudiflorum
Jasminum nudiflorum is a deciduous shrub with arching branches, small leaves, bright green stems, and bright yellow flowers from winter to spring. This versatile climber is great for being trained upwards, and can scramble over low walls. Jasminum nudiflorum prefers a full sun to partially shaded, sheltered position, in well-drained soil. Grows up to around 3m in height.
Ilex aquifolium
Jasminum nudiflorum
Lonicera fragrantissima
A winter-flowering deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub that has ovate, dark green, purple tinged leaves and cream-white, fragrant flowers from December to March, which are loved by bumblebees. Red berries can occasionally appear after. Lonicera fragrantissima prefers full sun or partial shade, and will produce an abundance of flowers when trained against a sunny wall. Ideal for planting within a cottage garden.
Mahonia × media ‘Charity’
A vibrant addition in winter, Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ is an upright evergreen with spikes of pale yellow flowers above rosettes of spiky, dark green leaves. Its fragrant flowers bloom from November to March, and these provide an excellent source of nectar during winter. After flowering, Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ produces blue-black berries that are loved by birds. Growing up to 4m in height, Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ is ideal for adding architectural interest. Lovely for planting in shaded or partially shaded flower borders and beds, in most soil types.
Osmanthus × burkwoodii
Osmanthus x burkwoodii is a slow growing, rounded shrub with dark green, leathery leaves. Boasts clusters of small, white, highly scented flowers in spring, followed by black fruits in autumn. Osmanthus x burkwoodii prefers full sun or partial shade, and produces more flowers in sunny positions. Grows up to 3m in height and works well in a woodland garden theme.
Lonicera fragrantissima
Mahonia x media ‘Charity’
Osmanthus × burkwoodii
Skimmia japonica ’Rubella’
Sarcococca confusa
Sarcococca confusa is a dense, bushy evergreen shrub with glossy, dark green leaves and sweetly fragranced white flowers in winter. It also produces berries in summer. It is very tolerant of dry shade and urban pollution, and works well as part of a cottage or wildlife garden. Being highly fragranced, Sarcococca confusa is ideal for planting along pathways, and can also be grown in containers. Grows up to 2m in height.
Skimmia japonica ’Rubella’
A striking plant with multiple seasons of interest, Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ is a compact evergreen shrub with glossy green, red margined leaves. From autumn, it produces clusters of red flower buds, which eventually open as fragrant white flowers in spring. Ideal for growing in a pot or for filling in gaps in borders. Prefers partial sun or full shade, in a sheltered position.
Viburnum tinus
This fragrant winter evergreen shrub boasts clusters of white flowers, which are followed by blue-black berries in spring. Viburnum tinus is a long flowering plant that provides winter interest for shaded spots. It grows up to 3m in height, and is ideal for screening and hedging, as well as growing in a container.
Viburnum tinus
If you’d like more information on the hardy winter plants we grow and sell, get in touch with the G Team today.