Plant Recommendations for a Great Winter Landscape

One of the challenges of creating a great garden is to get great color and foliage throughout the year. Most plants peak during a certain season and then fade into the background of the garden. Few plants can offer more than one or two seasons of interest.

Here are a few of my favorites that can add beauty to your winter landscape: 

Camellia




Camellia



 

The Camellia is a popular winter plant in the Carolina’s.  I have two that bloom from late winter to early spring.   These plants, originating in Asia, need an acidic soil with a moist but never soggy soil.   I have two bushes that get the morning sun and are healthy, happy plants.  I have tried them within a woodsy area on the west side of my house, but have had no luck.  The biggest problem there is voles, but also, there is not enough sun.

Coral Maple

Coral Maple

 

This Japanese maple is a small tree that is prized for its bark that turns coral pink in cold weather.  But the interest isn’t limited to just the winter.  This tree will add color and interest to your garden all year long. In the winter, the bark color intensifies with the cold weather and almost becomes fluorescent.  The color really pops when there’s snow on the ground.

My neighbor has a coral maple as centerpiece to his front yard and it adds a beautiful display all year long.  

Birch Tree

Birch

 

Birch trees can grow to 80 feet tall or more and have wonderful fall foliage that turns bright shades of yellow.  But perhaps the most notable feature of birch trees is the bark that begins to peel off the tree as the cold weather sets in.