Take advantage of the fall planting season by adding plants that will brighten your garden this winter.
Here are some options that you can plant now.
Camellias
Many fall and winter-blooming camellias have glossy deep green leaves that reflect light, making them stand out on dark days and shine on sunny ones. The elegant flowers of fall-blooming Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ feature yellow stamens surrounded by delicate, wavy, snow-white petals. Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’ blooms just in time for the holidays. The flowers have cheery, scarlet-red flowers and golden-yellow stamens that adorn the plants like ornaments against the deep green foliage. ‘Kanjiro’, another sasanqua with deep fuchsia-pink flowers, begins to bloom in late fall and continues into winter. Plant camellias where they can be seen from indoors and near driveways and entries where guests can admire them. For dramatic effect, feature large camellias potted in decorative containers or grow them espaliered against a fence or wall.
Colorful conifers
The silvery blue sprays of Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Ice’ (Arizona cypress) add color, contrast, and depth to landscapes. The pungent foliage is stunning when combined with berries and other evergreen foliage in cut arrangements for the holidays, where the vibrant color pops. The golden yellow branchlets of Chamacyparis obtusa ‘Nana Lutea’ (dwarf golden hinoki cypress) look elegant in a matte black ceramic pot or featured among a collection of dwarf conifers. Plant it in repetition, at measured intervals, and illuminate the plants with path lights to brighten the edge of a walkway at night.
Deciduous trees with stand out bark
When selecting a deciduous tree, consider how it will look during the winter months. Once the leaves have fallen, trees with interesting branching structure and bark stand out, adding new dimension to the landscape. For instance, Acer griseum (paper bark maple) has peeling cinnamon-brown bark that reveals a golden tone underneath, and Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia) has unusual spotted bark in shades of gray, orange, and brown. Acer capillipes (red snakebark maple) has olive green bark accentuated with eye-catching, narrow, white stripes for which it is named. Use a single specimen or configure multiple trees in a grove to create garden focal points using landscape lighting to create dramatic effects at night.
MORE IDEAS
Revitalizing your garden this fall is a great way to ease into the season and prepare for the coming holidays!
Need more ideas? Contact me for a design consultation to learn more about what to plant this fall or how to maximize the impact of plantings in your garden.