5 ‘must-have’ and ‘indestructible’ winter plants for ‘intense colour’

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There are plenty of plants which come into their own during the winter, with stunning foliage, flowers or bark in a range of vibrant and uplifting colours. To help gardeners choose the right ones, Express.co.uk spoke to Morris Hankinson, director of the online plant and hedge specialists Hopes Grove Nurseries, to get an insight on his top five plants for a colourful winter garden as well as some planting tips. He claimed that these plants “brighten” up your garden during those short days, but are also “very easy to grow”.

1. Sweet box (Sarcococca confusa)

These are tough plants with leathery leaves and the small, creamy-white flowers that are followed by red, black or purple berries in summer. These often persist into the following winter.

Morris said: “Sweet box is a firm favourite here at the nursery, the sweet vanilla perfume travels far from even the youngest batch of plants and never fails to cheer our work during the short winter days. 

“Their evergreen foliage looks immaculate and glossy in all four seasons, the scent emerges from the creamy white flowers, studded along the green stems, opening in succession from December right through until March.”

“This is a must-have for a shady spot where it will slowly grow into a waist-high shrub or hedge, just be sure to plant them close to a path, doorway or seating area so the scent is appreciated!”

2. Dogwoods (Cornus)

Cornus, commonly known as dogwood, provides winter gardens with colourful stems of red, orange, purple, black, yellow and lime green. 

The gardening expert claimed that these plants are a “staple of many well-designed winter gardens”, grown not for their flowers but their dazzling winter stems, they come into their own as soon as their leaves drop, usually after the first hard frost. 

Morris noted that one of his “personal favourites (from the many varieties) are cornus sanguinea ‘anny’s winter orange’ as they have brilliant shades that change as you move up the stem, starting with buttery yellow through coral and orange to red at the tips”.

Cornus alba “kesselringii”, also known as the black stemmed dogwood, is another favourite. He explained that the dark stems are in fact a deep purplish colour and look “stunning” when underplanted with brightly coloured early flowering bulbs, especially crocus.

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The expert favoured cornus alba “sibirica” as the “best form” of the enduringly popular Red Stemmed Dogwood. He said: “Its brilliant red stems will bring your garden alive during the winter months, plant drifts of them with other coloured dogwoods if you have space.

“All of these dogwoods are very easy to grow, give them a good start by preparing their planting site with organic matter, bone meal and rootgrow. Each spring cut them back almost to ground level, new strong shoots will soon follow. These one year shoots always produce the most dazzling colours the following winter.”

3. Winter honeysuckle (lonicera fragrantissima)

Considered one of the most scented of garden plants, Morris claimed that this “little-known gem” is surely one of the “unsung heroes” of the winter garden.

He explained how they are an “indestructible hardy shrub” that will fill gardens with the perfume from its sweetly fragrant white flowers, emerging in succession from December until springtime.  

He added: “They are so easy to grow, suited to novice or experienced gardeners, seek them out online if you can’t find them locally and just be sure to plant them somewhere the scent can be appreciated.”

4. Hollies (Ilex)

Morris noted that there are three types of these plants that add immense colour to gardens. He said: “Not just for Christmas, the female English holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘alaska’) has lustrous deep green evergreen foliage that always looks good, the perfect backdrop for the bright red berries that are sure to bring cheer during the short days as their colour intensifies. 

“For bright foliage try the golden holly (Ilex X altaclerensis ‘golden king’) or the silver holly (Ilex aquifolium ‘argentea marginata’). Both will dazzle with their variegated leaves and very generously, still have the familiar brightly coloured berries too.”

5. Firethorn (pyracantha)

These are easy and willing evergreen shrubs that will be clothed with huge numbers of creamy white flowers in late spring, busy with all manner of pollinating insects seeking out their nectar.

The expert explained: “Over the summer they develop into masses and masses of berries, almost inconspicuously at first, until they start to show their colour. 

“As our gardens fade in Autumn, and leaves fall, pyracantha will put on a truly dazzling show of richly coloured berries.”

The many different varieties offer berries in shades of red, orange and yellow, they are great for training up walls, as hedges or just as a bright evergreen back of border shrubs. 

Morris added: “Whichever variety you choose, it will not only bring welcome colour to your winter garden during the shortest days but also a great selection of birds who will appreciate the valuable winter food source that the berries provide.”

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