Plenty of plants come into their own at this time of year, with flowers, berries and even coloured stems bringing gardens to life through the coldest months.
Here are a few of our favourite plants for winter gardens.
Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’ 
Helleborus x hybridus
We love the voluptuous pink flowers of the Camellia japonica. This evergreen shrub, also known as the “Japanese Rose”, will bring a perky pop of colour to your winter garden.
Best plants for berries
Plants that bear berries are a must in any winter garden. As well as adding colour, berries are a great food source for wildlife, bringing birds flocking to your garden. There’s no shortage of berry-bearing shrubs to choose from, and here are three of the best:
• Pyracantha (Firethorn) – bears yellow, orange or red berries in winter.
• Ilex aquifolium (Holly) – Female varieties bear glossy red berries provided a male variety is nearby for pollination
• Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldi ‘Profusion’ (Beauty Berry) – perfectly named for the gleaming purple berries that stay on the plant well into winter
• Myrtus communis (Common Myrtle) – Myrtle has been used for thousands of years for fragrance and medicinal purposes
Callicarpa (Beauty Berry) 
Holly 
Pyracantha (Firethorn)
Evergreen shrubs are perfect for adding colour and interest during the cooler months. Spruce trees with blue/green hues really take centre stage.
Common Myrtle 
Picea pungens ‘ Fat Albert’ 
Picea pungens ‘Hoopsii’
Plants with colourful bark
Some plants look their best when their leaves have fallen and the beauty of their coloured bark and stems is revealed. Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ (dogwood) and Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ are some of the best shrubs for a winter garden, with spectacular yellow-tipped orange stems that blaze with warm colour on cold winter days. Prune cornus hardback in early spring to encourage new shoots with good colour for next winter’s show.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango – kaku’ 
Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ 
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’
Other trees with brightly coloured bark include Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ (Japanese maple) with vivid red young stems, and Acer davidii (snakebark maple) with striking green and white-striped trunks. Birch trees also look fabulous in winter, whether it’s the gleaming white trunks of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan birch) or the cinnamon-brown peeling bark of Betula albosinensis (Chinese red birch).