Having recently looked from my window out at the gloomy garden, I feel the poor thing desperately needs some form and colour for winter. In fact, many of the surrounding gardens are the same and there is nothing to hold you interest at all. I must remedy this this year! I’ve been looking around for ideas and have come across some beautiful shrubs that would not only provide colour but exquisite scent too. I have included two links at the end of this post for further reading. One being the RHS’s recommendations for shrubs with winter interest, the other a lovely post about a winter walk through the gardens at Anglesey Abbey which are breathtaking.
Euonymus Europaeus ‘Red Cascade’
A relatively ordinary shrub in the summer, it’s true glory is revealed in autumn and winter when the leaves turn a shocking pink. The branches also hold onto the orange flowers which turn to vibrant seed heads. I think it would look stunning against yellow grasses or the steel blue of euphorbia. More detail here.
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’
This is a hard working shrub that has many qualities I’m looking for winter scent, coloured foliage and blooms. The viburnum flowers from October to March with little frost damage. The foliage turns bronze in autumn. Would work well next to a witch hazel or Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ . Read more here.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ and Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Ruby Glow’
What prettier Christmas decoration for the garden could you have? Like shredded golden and red paper hanging candidly from bare stems, it’s almost rude in it’s showiness! The witch hazel has a stunning scent too.
Arnold Promise
Ruby Glow
A tour through Anglesey Abbey’s Winter walk garden
josephinesgarden 