As winter approaches, the garden takes on a new character. Structure, form and texture become all the more important. With the arrival of the cold, some plants, whether deciduous or evergreen, take on a new lease of life and are transformed into living sculptures when touched with frost or a light covering of snow.
In the not too distant past, it was accepted that, before winter set in, the garden needed to be “put to bed”. Herbaceous borders had to be cut back and cleared, all dead and dying foliage removed, every fading flower tossed on the compost heap. This dedication to tradition achieved its goal of neatness, but left areas of bare soil, featureless and static, until the new spring growth challenged the winter orderliness by breaking through the ground and raising its tentative shoots to the sun.
Gardens however, are not immune from the vagaries of fashion. Nowadays, it is more important to achieve an effect within the planting of seasonal longevity, by allowing stems and seed heads that would otherwise have been considered ‘past their best’ to remain where they are. Within a border, a significant consideration now is the effect of time throughout the year. As the months slip from one season to the next, plants change in habit, form and texture creating a completely fresh atmosphere in our gardens along the way. So, with careful planning, plants can be exploited for their curved habit or vivid stems, their shiny bark or the sound they make in the wind.
Stems that have fallen or become unruly would need to be removed, but the sturdier stems of plants such as Phlomis russeliana or Achillea filipendulina can look impressive against a backdrop of Deschampsia cespitosa or some of the Miscanthus cultivars, even though they are in the process of dying back. Not only do they add structure, height and interest to a fading border, but they also provide a much needed source of food for wildlife, encouraging a greater collaboration between the garden and all its inhabitants in addition to creating visual impact.
As temperatures drop, the garden can become a less appealing place to spend time, but with careful design and planting, a winter garden can be as rewarding and beautiful as its summer counterpart. The subtle flowers and fragrance of Lonicera fragrantissima (a winterflowering honeysuckle) and the bright colourful stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Beauty’, are just two hardy shrubs which add colour and interest to a winter scheme.
It is not just the plants that create form in our gardens. Pergolas, arbours or arches can maintain the height and structure which is lost when the last of the summer perennials fall, and they offer protected places to sit and enjoy the garden whenever the winter sun allows. These elements give a changing perspective, revealing framed vistas of different areas of the garden which are often hidden during the summer months.
Shrub borders too, make a bold winter statement when deciduous planting becomes a delight as the last leaves drop, exposing spectacular stems and bark. Whilst evergreen shrubs such as Ilex aquifolium or Myrtus communis give permanent structure, the bright white bark of the Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Silver Shadow', creates a stark contrast against the setting of a newly revealed evergreen hedge, and the tracery of its finely textured branches silhouette stunningly against a bright winter sky.
Plenty of species offer something special for the winter months of the year, be it a colourful bark, a sweet smelling flower on bare wood, a bright fruit or hip, or a glossy evergreen leaf. These characteristics can all contribute to make your garden as lovely now as it is in the height of summer.
