By Kristina Howley and Natalie Carmolli, Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Photographs courtesy of Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
When the weather has turned and our gardens are going dormant, it is a special delight to see something showing off. If your garden is surrounded by mature deciduous trees, there's a chance you'll be set for a while. But what about when the leaves have fallen, and the snow starts to swirl?
That's where shrubs with colorful bark, berries, and evergreen foliage come in. Here are five fabulous selections for fall and winter interest.
This compact red twig dogwood is a vigorously growing, very cold hardy option for folks who like simplicity. Its strong vertical presence in the garden provides year-round texture. Bring the outdoors in and use Arctic Fire® dogwood as a cut stem for holiday arrangements or for season-long color indoors. USDA Zones 2-7, 3-5’ tall/wide.
Can a yellow twig dogwood be a red-twig dogwood? Yes! Arctic Fire® Yellow dogwood is a new selection of North American native Cornus stolonifera that offers all the durability of the species but with vivid yellow stems. Stunning on its own or interplanted with Arctic Fire® Red dogwood. USDA Zones 2-8, 4-5’ tall, 6’ wide.
If you've ever seen winterberry in someone else's garden, you're probably already smitten. When it comes to dramatic fall appeal, its masses of berries cannot be beaten. A male pollinator is required for fruiting; use Little Goblin® Guy winterberry holly. Fruit is not edible. USDA Zones 3-9, 3-4’ tall/wide.
We all love to talk about the feature plants in our gardens and this juniper sure is a showpiece. Its pretty, plentiful berries are incredibly attractive – they’re light green or blue depending on age! Conical habit makes this sun-loving, deer resistant evergreen versatile in the landscape. USDA Zones 4-8, 10-18’ tall, 7-10’ wide.
Arborvitae are fantastic at providing winter interest – the evergreen foliage is always prepared to shine out from under the snow! But Fluffy takes shine to a whole new level with its steadfast chartreuse coloring. Hardy and burn resistant, it maintains color even through a tough winter and this western arborvitae is more deer resistant than the traditional species. USDA Zones 5-8, 5-10’ tall, 3-6’ wide.
When cooler weather sends you inside, it doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy the beauty of a well-planned landscape. Plant some of these seasonal stunners and you can enjoy them from the coziness of your home when the temperatures dip.
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By Laura Root
Photos courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Gardeners are always thinking ahead to the next season or the next year. And, fall is the ideal time to think about spring. Flowering shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs are great choices.
Click here for an interesting article about spring bulbs.
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