Winter Interest in the Garden

As the landscape lies dormant during these winter months it can look barren and bland, however there are many pants that can add winter interest to your garden.

Winter Interest in the Garden

Winter interest is not limited to evergreens either. Many deciduous plants have interesting characteristics that can add winter interest to your landscape. Here is a list of 10 deciduous plants that have interesting winter characteristics that can bring color and beauty to any landscape.

1. Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea) has exfoliating bark that peels off the stems like paper creating an interesting texture to the landscape. If the flowers are left on the shrub to dry the brown papery flowers add another dimension to the overall winter interest. Native to the Northeastern United States.
2. Betula nigra (River Birch) has exfoliating bark that peels off the multiple trunks in thin layers. The texture of the bark is an interesting characteristic all year round but is highlighted in the sometimes-stark winter landscape. Native to the Eastern United States.
3. Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle) is a beautiful summer flowering small tree, but its true elegance shines in the winter months when the exfoliating bark that has been shed in the summer exposes the smooth as silk inner bark in shades of cinnamon. The multiple trunks also form a sculptural presence in the bare winter landscape.
4. Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore) the cream almost white bark make this American beauty stand out during the dreary winter days. The large elegance also provides an added eye-catcher to the landscape. Native to the Eastern United States.
5. Hamamelis x intermedia (Hybrid Witchhazel) blooms in January to March (depending on the cultivar) and the flowers last more than a month. The fragrant yellow or copper flowers are spider-like, and their intoxicating fragrance invites you in for a closer look.
6. Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress) this deciduous conifer is a fall beauty, but the overall pyramidal structure of this majestic tree is a showstopper in the winter months as well. Native to the Eastern United States.
7. Ilex verticillata (Winterberry) looks like nothing more than a green blob until the winter months when the bright red (orange, and yellow in some cultivars) are exposed by the fallen leaves. The small berries are a valuable food source for birds during the winter and are an eye-catching characteristic in the dull winter months. A male must be present for pollination. Native to the Eastern United States.
8. Cornus sericea (Red Twig Dogwood) is one of those plants that is at its height of beauty in the winter months. Bright red stems (also available in yellow and coral) become brighter as the weather gets colder and when these shrubs are planted en masse the show is truly spectacular.
9. Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) has dark grey almost black stems and bark, but as this small understory tree matures the trunk bark begins to exfoliate exposing a dark cinnamon under-bark.
10. Zelkova serrata (Japanese Zelkova) has exfoliating bark and a sculptural growth habit. The vase shape structure is accentuated by the branches growing at a 45° angle from the central axis.Just give us a call at 410-667-8900 for a free estimate.