We are lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest where our relatively mild winters allow plants to bloom and evergreens to continue looking good, even if not in bloom. I did a tour of my and my neighbors’ gardens and came up with a surprisingly long list of plants that provide a show in winter.
One of my favorites is Camellia sasanqua. It blooms in October through December. This camellia with white, pink, or crimson flowers has smaller leaves and flowers and a more open shape than our spring blooming Camellia japonica. I have an even smaller form, C. sasanqua “Nana”, that is only 12 inches tall and 30 inches wide after 5 years of growth. It has lovely 1-inch white flowers in late winter.
There are many evergreen shrubs that add to the winter garden. Sarcococca is grown for its tiny scented flowers during the winter. Plant it where you can enjoy its fragrance. Other winter bloomers are daphnes and some rhododendrons and evergreen azaleas. I was surprised during a walk at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden in early December to see a number of rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom. Daphne bholua and D. mesereum both bloom in January and February.
The form of plants can provide interest whether they are in bloom or not. My neighbors’ and my hardy yuccas have wonderful evergreen structural forms in winter and great stalks of creamy bells in summer. Some yuccas to consider are Y. gloriosa “Bright Star,” and Y. filamentosa “Bright Edge,” both with yellow and green leaves. Plant them away from walkways, since the tips of the leaves are needle-sharp.
Other plants with interesting forms are small varieties of slow-growing pines, heather, and winter hardy succulents. In my rock garden is a tiny Mugo Pine variety “Reisengberg,” that is only 9 inches tall and wide after 5 years of growth. Sedum spectabile (now renamed by botanists Hylotelephium spectabile) is noticeable in winter for its colored leaves near the ground and striking dried seed heads above the plants. Many other forms of sedum maintain their foliage color throughout the year and bloom in spring and summer. Cornus (dogwood) and salix (willow) stems provide bright yellow, orange, and red colors when not in leaf and can make a great backdrop for other plants.
One of the pleasures of living in our neighborhood is seeing the very early crocuses naturalizing and blooming in lawns and rock gardens. Crocus tommasinianus or “Snow Crocuses” are some of the very early varieties, blooming in January. Snowdrops also bloom early. Some early forms of narcissus and tulips provide color before other bulbs. Selecting a variety of bulbs according to when they bloom can give a show from late winter through the spring.
Hamamelis species, known as Witch Hazel, are small deciduous trees that present small, spidery, fragrant flowers in late winter. “Jelena,” “Pallida,” and “Diane” are varieties that reliably bloom. The fall leaf color is spectacular.
Mahonia x media blooms in mid-December with long spires of fragrant yellow flowers and young foliage with a purple tinge. Many other types of Mahonia (Oregon Grape) flower early in the season and are very attractive plant forms throughout the year.
Choosing plants for form, color, and winter bloom can make a winter garden as varied and interesting as any other time of year.