Winter Flowering Plants
It is often tempting to think that nothing flowers in the winter and that all in the garden is quiet and dead, however there are some plants that flower in the winter true they are not the big show off type blooms that grace our gardens in the spring and summer but still worthwhile.
There has always been a certain amount of bedding plants that will give a bright splash of colour and even a few foliage plants that add a certain amount of charm in the colour department. These are all well and good but tend to look a little false and maybe a touch garish.
Some of the winter flowering shrubs seem to be more elegant altogether more pleasing in their form, the colours are more calm and somehow more welcome during those bleak mid winter days.
I can think of few sights as pleasing as the graceful yellow flower that are produced by Mahonia Charity
This wonderful shrub will keep its flowers in the most harsh conditions.
Along with the Mahonia is the Skimmia with its rich dark green leaves and clusters of white flowers or berries it is truly a winter star. Neat and compact and easy to grow this shrub will brighten even the darkest winter day.
Why not have a winter flowering hedge for this you can employ Viburnum Tinus and be rewarded with a multitude of white flowers, on their own the flowers are small but they burn in clusters and look fantastic.
If it is a tree that you are after then the winter flowering cherry is a must, just like the other flowering cherries it will delight with its cheerful pink/white flowers. As this tree grows the coverage of flowers will become more.
Winter is not a dead period, with a little thought you can also use the photina as a foliage plant to give even more colour to your garden. Go for a walk to your local park and you will find a roit of colour and texture that shows its true value while winter does its worst.