A Winter Celebration in your Garden

Colour & Form in Winter Gardens

Winter is the time when the garden relies on the structure of trees and shrubs. They provide the backbone to the rest of the planting throughout the year. The varied layers, some of which are evergreen, variegated, coloured stems or bare branches all add to the rich tapestry of a winter garden.

To make a garden interesting all year round it is important to think about the winter months when colourful summer herbaceous plants have died back. What remains will determine how your garden enhances the lower light levels and dull days of winter. Thoughtful seasonal garden landscaping can ensure your outdoor space remains captivating all year round.

Trees & Shrubs for Structure

Firstly, the highest layer – trees. They can provide evergreen colour, or have interesting, coloured or mottled bark, like the Stewartia pseudocamellia. Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis) with its textured silvery trunks, against a darker background, really stands out at this time of year.

At the mid level you can always rely on the coloured bark of the Dogwood (Cornus) family. Ranging from acid greens, orange, fiery reds and black, they provide a burst of drama in the borders. They look particularly good if planted with Black Mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) or Snowdrops (Galanthus).

A Smorgasbord of Scented Delights

Winter flowering shrubs play an essential role in any seasonal garden landscaping plan, serving as an important food source for foraging pollinators. For example, the Mahonia x media produces cheerful yellow flowers and a warm honey fragrance that fills the air. Other larger scented shrubs include:

• Chimonanthus praecox commonly known as Wintersweet, is a very unassuming shrub for most of the year, with large leathery aromatic leaves. It comes into its own in winter, when tiny fragrant bell-like flowers appear on the bare stems filling the cold air with an intense vanilla scent from December to March. The shrub grows best in a sunny position with plenty of space as it grows 2.5 to 3m in height and width.
• There are many species of deciduous and evergreen Daphne shrubs, but Daphne bholua is considered by many to be the queen of winter flowering shrubs; a semi evergreen shrub noted for its jasmine scented pinky white flowers that start to appear in January.
• Witch Hazels are fantastic, colourful winter plants but choose your Witch Hazels carefully, as they are not all strongly scented. The three most common species originate from North American, China and Japan (Hamamelis mollis & Hamamelis x intermedia are two of the stronger scented shrubs). The flower colour varies from sulphur yellow, through oranges, coppery reds to deeper red. Another excellent choice for winter flowering plants is Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), a large rangy shrub which produces sweetly scented, tiny white flowers from mid-December through to March.
• Sweet Box or Christmas Box (Sarcococca confusa) is an elegant small evergreen shrub with glossy ovate leaves with clusters of tiny pure white sweetly scented flowers, in December through to March. A great addition to a shady border especially close to the house, where the fragrance will captivate any passer-by.
• Viburnum x bodnantense is a great hardy addition to any garden and is happy in dappled shade. The cultivar ‘Dawn’ is probably the most well-known with attractive flowers on bare branches from late autumn through to early spring. The heavenly scented flowers start off as deep pink in bud and maturing to white.

Carpets of Winter Colour

Of course, the lowest layer of the garden can still be interesting in winter. Most winter flowering plants prefer dappled shade and grow well in the low light levels, so are ideal for providing colour in woodland themed borders for example. Winter Aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) with their bright yellow buttercup-like flowers spread a golden carpet across borders and lawns. Cyclamen coum provide pops of white, pink or magenta flowers, and like the delightful herald of spring, the Snowdrop (Galanthus), they are sometimes seen poking up through a layer of snow. They are great for naturalising on banks, in shady borders and under trees.

For additional structure, don’t be too hasty to cut back all your faded herbaceous perennials. Some retain their spent seedheads or old flower stalks, like Phlomis russeliana, and the elegant ornamental grass plumes, such as Miscanthus. When these are silhouetted against a winter sky, catching the late evening sun or decorated with sparkling frost, they can also bring winter structure to the garden, and provide food and homes for nestling ladybirds and other over-wintering insects.

Incorporate winter flowering plants in your Cotswold garden

With help from our Cheltenham garden design services, you can create a stunning winter garden tailored to your unique space. By selecting the right winter flowering plants and incorporating structure, scent, and colour, your garden can remain vibrant and inviting even in the chilliest months. Contact us to discuss your winter garden design plans.