Community ClicksFair weather or foul, nature finds a way to create interest in the garden, and winter is no exception.
A careful selection of plants can transform your garden from a barren, chilly landscape into a winter wonderland. Desirable winter plants should be low maintenance, cold hardy and above all contribute to an attractive landscape through form, color or texture. Look for features such as colorful foliage or stems, distinctive berries, unusual bark and different leaf or plant shapes.
Annuals that are winter hardy and colorful include alyssum, calendula, snapdragons, pansies, violas, dusty miller, dianthus and ornamental kale and cabbage. Consider mixing winter vegetables such as chard, lettuce or spinach in with these annuals for an interesting splash of color or a different texture.
Shrubs define garden spaces and are the transition between low level plants (lawn and groundcovers) and trees. Many border plants can contribute to winter interest.
Blueberries (Vaccinium) are “flickers of fire” and provide orange, yellow and burgundy foliage in fall.
Heathers and heaths (Calluna, Daboecia and Erica) are low-maintenance, deer-resistant, evergreen plants with green or colored foliage; some varieties, such as Erica x darleyensis and Erica carnea bloom in fall and winter.
Holly (Ilex) has evergreen, glossy leaves that are spiny or toothed; female plants display brightly colored berries from fall through winter.
Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) has glossy evergreen foliage and showy light green or whitish flower buds in fall and winter that bloom in early spring.
Burning bush (Euonymous) boasts vibrant scarlet foliage in fall and small red-orange fruit.
Cranberry bush viburnum (Viburnum) and chokeberry (Aronia) are also known for their brilliant fall color.
Trees are focal points in the garden, especially those that stand out during the winter when most garden blooms and foliage are absent. Trees well-known for their colorful fall foliage include ornamental fruit trees such as pear, plum, cherry and crab apple; sourwood (Oxydendrum); any maple (Acer) from the Japanese varieties to our own big leaf and vine maples; and smoke trees (Cotinus).
In addition to colorful fall foliage, birch (Betula) has a distinctive papery brown or white bark and dogwoods (Cornus) have red or yellow twig color. Witch hazel (Hamamelis) provides dazzling fall foliage and fragrant, brightly colored, spider-like yellow or orange flowers in the winter.
Winter is a good time of year for planting trees and shrubs; nature provides the water and the ideal conditions for root development. A side benefit is that many plants are now on sale at local nurseries. So select and plant your winter garden now. If you are not able to plant for this winter, as the days grow colder and shorter, study and make plans for next year’s winter garden.
Bill Wrobel is a Washington State University certified Clallam County Master Gardener.
The Master Gardeners who write This Week’s Garden will take a break until next spring. Thanks for reading the column this season!
Winter landscaping projects<<< Plant late winter and spring bulbs through November.
<<< Move plants that may be crowded or just belong in another location.
<<< Exchange plants with friends and neighbors.
<<< Refurbish old beds and add new beds.
<<< Take out your landscape map and make adjustments for next year.
<<< Make a list of the plants you want to add, from ground covers to shrubs to trees.
<<< Make a list of materials needed next spring to get the garden growing.
