The Late Winter Garden

Winter can be a dull time in the garden but it really doesn't have to be when there are so many lovely plant varieties that really look their best in this otherwise cold season.

Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn'

Adding fragrance to the garden is a wonderful way to heighten your senses and lift your mood during the winter. Viburnum 'Dawn' has a lovely sweet scent that fills the cool winter air beautifully with it's pretty clusters of cute little flowers in lovely tones of pinks & white.
In the winter, these gorgeous flower clusters stand out clearly from the tips of each brown branch, the foliage has already fallen in the autumn.
In the spring pretty vibrant green buds emerge that later burst out into bottle green leaves with an interesting jagged edge. A wonderful border staple and backdrop for spring and summer flowering plants, adding height to the border too.
Autumn changes the colour of this pretty foliage in shades of yellow, orange & bright red adding more interesting change to watch during this glorious season.
A great garden performer all year round to be honest, but in winter Viburnum 'Dawn' really is in her element.

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety'

A fantastic variety that is perfect for creating a carpet of gorgeous foliage ground cover and is quite low maintenance but still looks striking. I love the pretty, slightly pointy tipped ovate leaves that start as a deep green at the base of each leaf, then spreads out up and into the centre openly, running into a bright creamy-white edge. The white edge slightly fades into the green, creating an artistic effect on every single leaf.
In the winter, when the cold weather hits, this lovely variety of Euonymus may also show a little tinge of rose pink, adding more interest into the winter garden.
This variety is ideal for the low maintenance garden however it can also be clipped and shaped too if desired.

Sarcococca ruscifolia

Ah, now... this is one of my all time favourite shrubs. Super versatile, wonderfully low maintenance, plain yet simply beautiful & of course how could I miss out that sublime sweet winter scent, mm mmmm!
I don't think there has ever been a garden design that I have completed that does not include a variety of Sarcococca. It is a fantastic garden shrub which can be so easily overlooked and underrated.
So, I'll begin with the beautifully deep yet vibrant green & glossy leaves that add depth to any border or even container garden.
Not only for the garden though, once this shrub has had time to establish and fill out, the foliage makes for a lovely addition to your cutting garden. The pretty slightly curled leaves that cover matching green stems are a wonderful filler to any flower arrangement.
In mid-late winter, leaves still intact, subtle creamy tassel-like flowers appear. These dainty little flowers can be quite easy to miss at first, however when the super sweet perfume exudes from each bloom you can really see the beauty that this plant provides in both flower and in fragrance touching many of your senses.
Sarcococca is also known as Christmas Box or Sweet Box due to the time of flowering and of course the scent of the flowers.

Euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen'

Yes, this is different to E.'Emerald Gaiety', I promise!
This pretty Euonymus has a much more upright habit which can add a lovely form and good structure to any border or can look rather magnificent in a container on a terrace.
I love the pretty edges, clean-cream that gently smudges into the silvery green centres creating a lovely bright feel to a dull corner in the garden.
Another brilliant foliage plant for flower arranging, not only adding a good base for your main flowers but also adding a little sparkle to any arrangement itself!
Another perfect plant for a low maintenance garden, looking fabulous for 12 months of the year and for many years too.

Viburnum tinus 'Gwenllian'

This is an evergreen variety of Viburnum, no leaf drop and a constant cover of lovely matt green foliage for every season. Pretty round clusters of pink buds open up into cute tiny white flowers that cover the shrub from late autumn, blooming right through until the middle of spring.
Following these gorgeous flower clusters come black-blue ornamental berries, adding a touch of chic to the garden as well as a nice feast for wildlife!
Viburnum 'Gwenllian' is good old robust shrub, again rather low maintenance and makes for many uses in the garden. Pop near the back of the border for a brilliant background shrub, plant in a large pot for a nice patio garden addition or use as a pretty hedging alternative.
A wonderful plant for using with cut flowers too! The foliage, flowers & berries can all be used throughout the differing times of the year enhancing your indoor seasonal floral displays.

Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald 'n' Gold'

OK, OK, I have maybe OTT'd on Euonymus here. However this one will add a ray of sunshine to your garden at a time of year where the actual sun can be rather subtle.
Euonymus 'Emerald 'n' Gold' is a wonderfully light evergreen shrub that is fairly easy to grow in most   areas of the garden. The more light you allow this variety to receive, the more intense the golden yellow foliage will be. Having said that, it can still look great in a slightly shady dull spot adding a little spotlight of interest.
Another low maintenance shrub, adding interest for the full 12 months of a year, again for many years to come. A fairly upright growing Euonymus ideal for the middle of the border, providing a wonderful backdrop for contrasting lower growing plants such as deep purple Heuchera, blue Campanula, rockery Iris etc.
This variety can also be a fun choice for creating small topiary projects, makes for a pretty yet formal dome shape. A good choice for the patio garden too!

I do love winter gardens, there are so many ways you can create beauty, add colour & still enjoy your outdoor space even when its cold & everywhere else might be looking dull. 

I hope I have given you a few plant ideas to help brighten up your winter garden with ease.

I have also written a blog on plant ideas for a white winter garden, check this out here- http://lottieruthgardeninspo.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/the-winter-white-garden.html

Do enjoy this wonderful crisp season, stay warm & get out into the garden whenever you can!

Happy Gardening

Lottie x