Although it’s true that much of the garden puts itself to bed come winter, there are still some star performers when it comes to winter colour. Although most flowering plants have faded away now, shrubs and trees with colourful stems get their chance to shine.
Rubus thibetianus has ghostly white stems in winter, positively glowing even on the dreariest of days. Try under planting with the black ‘grass’ Ophiopogon for contrast.
The coloured dogwoods barely need an introduction – they are one of the ‘go to’ plants for winter colour. When Cornus alba sheds it’s leaves, it reveals red stems as bright as a newly painted post box. Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ is aptly named with good autumn colour, once the leaves drop, multiple stems of orange-yellow stems with red tips glow like flickering flames.
Amongst the best trees to choose for interesting and colourful winter colour, we love the Tibetan Cherry, Prunus serrula. Its rich, shiny reddish brown bark looks good all year round with lovely cherry blossom in spring.
For smaller gardens, Acer griseum, the paper bark maple, is a good looking tree year round, but comes into its own when its naked branches are revealed in all their glory.
Betulis u. var.jacquemontii is probably the most well-known of the white stemmed birches and it will reward you with brilliant, startlingly white bark, especially if you go for the compact and upright ‘Silver Shadow’. A small grove or multi stemmed tree would suit under planting with winter bulbs such as the diminutive winter aconite, or early flowerers, like Hellebores. If used as a specimen tree, maybe in a front garden, winter pansies or cyclamen would show it off perfectly.
Amongst the best trees to choose for interesting and colourful winter colour, the Tibetan Cherry, Prunus serrula would be right up there. Its rich reddish brown bark is as shiny as a ‘fresh from the shell’ conker, and in fact looks good all year round with lovely cherry blossom in spring.
REMEMBER OUR WILD BIRDS
With days getting shorter, there is limited daylight for them to seek out the sustenance they need. This is the season for caring for birds with extra food and clean water in a safe environment.
Provide bird food with high fat content like suet to support migrating birds.
Continue to feed regularly.
Top up water frequently and ensure its not iced over
It’s never too early to put up a nest box, from autumn onwards they provide winter shelter and a place to nest once spring arrives.
If you already have a nest box, clean it when its empty.
