In winter, any outside colour is a real treat, and there are actually a number of flowering shrubs that bloom at this time of year! A lot of folks have yet to discover the beauty winter-flowering shrubs can bring to a sleepy garden so we’re taking a moment to introduce you to some of our favourites:
Camellias: Though not fully hardy in our area, these evergreen flowering shrubs brighten up many late fall, winter and early spring gardens. Be sure to plant them in good, well-drained soil in a sheltered spot that is out of north or east winds. Camellias are a good candidate as a cut stem.
Chinese Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis): Blooming in mid-winter with an incredible fragrance, it will provide that lift we need during those cold, grey days. Although they don't have a great perfume, Hamamelis x intermedia, 'Jelena', which has an orange tone, and the red 'Diane' are a must for the home garden. Surround these striking shrubs with winter aconites or snowdrops and you will have the makings of an award-winning combination. Stems of Chinese witch hazel can be cut and brought indoors to enjoy too!
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas): This is a February bloomer and, although its blossoms are smaller than the Chinese witch hazel, it is well worth a spot in your garden, especially as it has edible red fruit and charming reddish-purple autumn foliage.
Winter Heathers (Erica carneas): Winter heathers perform very well in perennial borders and make sensational ground covers too. Plant them in groupings of threes or fives for a greater impact. Dwarf conifers look more interesting when planted with such companions. Keep your ericas well-drained though, or root rot will put an abrupt end to your display, and remember to water regularly during summer dry spells. Bees love winter heather, so they’re a must for the pollinator garden.
Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima): Another fragrant candidate, this is deciduous shrub produces a plethora of branches with delicate white blooms that have a lovely light fragrance.
Winter Jasmine (Jasmine nudiflorum): Their star-like yellow blossoms are open now and will continue to flower until mid-March. These shrubs are actually a semi-vine and look smashing against an old wall or rustic fence, and if you can provide a south or west exposure, the blossoms will appear earlier and bloom more reliably throughout the winter. They, too, make a lovely addition to fresh-cut flower bouquets.
Prunus mume: Fragrant magenta or white blooms appear in late winter and are often blooming just in time for the Lunar New Year, so they are often trimmed and used as a cut stem to enhance celebrations. While the fruits are edible, they're certainly not tasty, so this apricot is certainly grown more for its ornamental value.
Sarcococca: The little wispy white blooms of this shade tolerant evergreen pack a powerful perfume! Blooming in late winter, this is a valuable, lower growing shrub to work into landscapes.
Viburnum 'Pink Dawn': Still one of the best with fragrant clusters of tiny pink blossoms that just never seem to quit. It will throw out a few blossoms in fall, then from early February onward, more and more blossoms will open until this shrub is a mass of pink through to April. We too often overlook a distant cousin of Viburnum 'Pink Dawn', the evergreen Viburnum tinus 'Spring Bouquet'. It is full of bronze buds opening slowly into white blossoms. When planted in a protected, sunny location, ‘Spring Bouquet’ never seems to quit blooming. Its blossoms look exceptional contrasted with its bronze buds and steel blue berries. Its branches are nice to bring inside as cuts, and they make a great combination with fresh daffodils.
A single shrub underplanted with a few heathers, hellebores and/or early flowering bulbs would be a great source joy in winters to come, so consider planting some of these lovely candidates this year. Not only will you have a bright spot in the garden during bleak grey days, you’ll have a source of colour and fragrance to bring inside your home as well.
