Prepare to adjust your perspective on what makes the perfect winter garden. In recent years there has been a big shift in winter garden design. A re-imagination of a wilder winter where wildlife, birds especially, are taken into account. There’s certainly nothing dull about the garden at this time of year, there are so many shapes to draw the eye; cones, spheres, spires and frosty plumage!
Planting a winter garden
In terms in design this is what you should be aiming for:
Structure (the backbone of the garden)
- Evergreens to anchor the scheme, frame your borders and provide a darker, receding backdrop.
- Incorporate spire like perennials such as Echinacea purpurea and leaving seedheads on.
- Architectural Plants, incorporate plants with strong, defined shapes such as Picea pungens ‘Edith’.
Colour
Both verdant and glossy as well as delicate mouse browns. Plant clusters of Cornus (Dogwood) for their bright red stems. Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ is another great choice for colourful stems once the foliage has fallen in late autumn.
Scent
We love Sarcococca confusa and Daphne x transatlantica Pink Fragrance for winter fragrance.
Texture
- Deciduous trees such as Birch (Betula) with ghostly white or peeling bark, or Tibetan Cherry (Prunus serrula) with glossy, copper-red bark offer really interesting texture. Think beyond foliage, stems and bark are often the unsung heroes of a winter garden.
- Take a more modern approach and resist the urge to cut everything down in autumn. The resulting dried plant material provides visual interest. The best examples of this are Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia and Echinacea purpurea.They create the “spires” and “cones” that catch the frost beautifully.
- Plant ornamental grasses like Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’, Anemanthele lessoniana and Stipa tenuissima.
The dry foliage and feathery plumes of ornamental grasses add movement, whisper in the breeze, and glow when backlit by the low winter sun.
Attracting wildlife to the garden
Traditionally perennial seedheads were cutback in late autumn but there has been a shift in people’s attitude towards winter wildlife. By leaving the seedheads intact you will encourage a colourful and enchanting array of birds to your garden. Our top picks are Echinacea purpurea and Rudbeckia. You can also create a log pile and fallen leaves in a corner of the garden to provide essential hibernation spots for hedgehogs, frogs and insects. Dense evergreen hedges and shrubs, especially spiky ones, offer secure shelter for our native song birds.
Bountiful Berries
A true winter garden is one that feels alive. Attract more birds to your garden the natural way with fruit and berry producing plants as well as sturdy perennials that leave behind a bountiful seedhead. We recommend:
Crataegus x lavalleei ‘Carrièrei’ (Hawthorn) – An exceptional small, deciduous tree prized for its long season of interest, combining attractive foliage, flowers, and persistent fruit during the winter months.
Holly (Ilex) – The vibrant red berries that appear in autumn and remain through winter are a major draw. They provide a beautiful splash of colour against the dark green foliage, adding significant visual interest during the colder months.
Pyracantha ‘Golden Glow’ – Pyracantha ‘Golden Glow’ is an upright and spreading evergreen shrub with eliptical leaves and spiny stems. Small white flowers are produced in late spring and early summer followed by clusters of golden orange berries which last throughout autumn and into winter.
Sorbus aucuparia ‘Edulis’ (Rowan) – A deciduous, upright, medium-sized tree. It forms a loose, narrow pyramidal to oval crown that is generally more regular in shape than the wild species. It holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), signifying its excellent garden performance. Clusters of small, creamy – white flowers appear in May (very popular with pollinators) giving way to an abundance of red – orange berries during the winter months.
Viburnum tinus ‘Spirit’ – Prized for its extended flowering season and neat, compact habit. It is an excellent evergreen shrub for providing structure, colour, and fragrance during the winter months. Exceptional long-flowering period, typically starting in November / December and continuing right through to April and sometimes even May. The bluey-black berries produced duringt he winter months makes it an invaluable source of winter colour and interest. Ultimate height and spread 2.5 metres. Ideal for middle-to-back of borders, mass planting for screening or growing in large containers on patios.
Succulent Seedheads
Echinacea purpurea – During the winter months the flower head dries out and hardens into a stiff, dark brown or black, spiky sphere. The cone is often likened to a small pincushion and look particuarly stunning when dusted with wintr morning frost. The dried cones contain numerous small seeds. Goldfinches are particularly known for flocking to Echinacea in the winter, perching on the stiff stems and picking the seeds out of the cones, making them a crucial winter bird feeder.
Rudbeckia – A hugely popular and versatile genus of flowering plants, most famous for the bright, cheerful flowers commonly known as Black-Eyed Susan. In winter, Rudbeckia completely changes its appearance from a vibrant summer flower to a plant that provides subtle structure and sustenance, especially to local wildlife.
Echinops ritro – A stunning and popular perennial admired for its striking, architectural shape, bold colour, and ease of care. It is an absolute magnet for bees and butterflies, making it a garden essential for wildlife enthusiasts. If the spent flower heads are left on the plant, they persist through winter, turning a dark, dry brown. They provide fantastic architectural structure and texture, especially when coated in frost or snow. The stems are generally sturdy enough to remain upright through the worst weather.
Where to go to see inspiring examples of winter garden design:
Visit us for inspiring and seasonal displays, we are open seven days a week.
- Anglesey Abbey in Cambridge
- Broughton Grange Gardens
- Bury Court in Surrey
- Malverleys in Hampshire
- RHS Wakehurst
- RHS Wisley
- The Big Plant Nursery
- Ralph Bristow’s “Barwite Garden” (take a virtual visit to Victoria, Australia)
