As I walked home from ‘the school run’ in the watery morning sunshine earlier this week, my attention was drawn to the row of winter-flowering cherries along Old Birley Street.
Whilst you’re all bringing the holly and ivy indoors to make your festive decorations, it’s worth noting that not all plants grown for winter interest need to be evergreen.
If you are lucky enough to receive any garden centre vouchers this Christmas, and feel that your garden could provide a bit more excitement during the short, dark, dreary days, here are few plant ideas worth considering:
Three Trees:
Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis Rosea’
This winter-flowering cherry is a small deciduous tree whose leaves turn an attractive yellowy-gold colour in Autumn. The pretty pale-pink flowers open during late autumn, continuing through to early spring.
Acer griseum
One of the common names for this one is the Paperbark Maple; it has attractive coppery-coloured, distinctive peeling bark, which turns more orangey in the autumn. The leaves turn a fabulous red before falling, in autumn.
Acer griseum
Betula utilis var jaquemontii ‘Grayswood Ghost’
Our walk to school also takes in a few of these Himalayan Birches, and they are really good value for all-year-round interest; striking, bright white bark during the winter months, catkins in early spring and glossy leaves that turn yellow in autumn.
Three Shrubs:
Hamamelis x intermedia
This shrub provides some good autumn colour but I like it in late winter / early spring with its gently perfumed frondy spider-like flowers. The pink-red cultivars remind me of sea anemones! It flowers before it comes in to leaf.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Primavera’
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’
The Curly, Corkscrew or Contorted Hazel is cultivated by grafting a weaker species of hazel on to stronger root stock, resulting in interesting twirly branches. These are great for Christmas flower arrangements and for hanging decorations from. It also produces showy yellow catkins in late winter / early spring.
It has a tendency to put out straight suckers at the base, from the root stock. These need to be pruned away, or they will become dominant and the tree will lose its curliness.
Cornus alba
Dogwood seems to be a popular choice for low maintenance and amenity planting, and its abundant supply at Cheadle College means it is our go-to choice for practising propagation of hardwood cuttings. Cornus alba has striking red stems in the winter, as do cultivars of C. sericea and C. sanguinea.
Cornus alba
I’m always keen to expand my knowledge of trees and shrubs for domestic gardens so if you have other non-evergreen favourites, drop me a line below.