Winter Interest in the Garden - part 2 - flowers.
By spritzhenry
15 comments
I promised a series of blogs on this subject – and here goes with the second! Have I got enough flowers out in my garden to make it worth posting a blog about them? Well, yes is the answer. OK, to be fair, I did inherit some flowering shrubs, but others have been planted since we came here – I knew I wanted all-year interest in the garden, so I did some research and now have quite a selection.
Viburnum tinus does not only flower in winter – it keeps on going through until spring – and even after that, produces an odd flower or two. It’s evergreen, as well. There are more Viburnums that flower in winter, too – a familiar one that flowers on leafless branches is V. x bodnantense ‘Dawn’. This one is fragrant, too!
Another fragrant shrub is Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’. This started flowering about a month ago – and will flower until February.
In my last garden, my absolute favourite was a small tree which flowered from November until March. It was so beautiful to look down on from the upstairs windows. I just had to plant one here. It’s still only a baby, but after producing a few flowers last year, it has lots of buds now and some flowers full out, too. It’s got a long name: Prunus subhirtella autumnalis ‘Rosea’.
An evergreen shrub that may be unfamiliar to some of you is a slightly less hardy one, so it needs shelter. It’s called Correa ’Marian’s Marvel’ and it is coming into flower now. There are several other Correas – I only have this one..
A shrub which will be familiar to most people is Choisya ternata. Here, it produces flowers twice a year, and some in the winter as well. I love the scent of its evergreen leaves, too.
How about Clematis? Do you know the cirrhosa group? All evergreen and winter-flowering. I have three in my garden – C. cirrhosa ‘Freckles’ and C. cirrhosa ‘Lansdowne Gem’ are in flower now, while C. cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’ is in bud and will flower in a few weeks’ time.
My Vinca major ‘Variegata’ and V.difformis ‘Jenny Pym’ have the good nature to give me some flowers at ground level in the winter months. Both beautiful, if a bit thuggish!
There’s Winter Jasmine, Skimmias, and Mahonia japonica in flower, as well.
But I must stop – thanks for reading this far – I shall end by adding a very appropriately named plant which is in flower now. My Helleborus niger.
Why?
Well, it is called the ‘Christmas Rose’!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
19 Dec, 2008
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Previous post: Winter Interest in the garden - part 1 - Evergreens.
Next post: I'M BACK!
Comments
Thank you Spritz .I should keep a seperate book to keep my wish list in from your garden .
The Correa ' Marians Marvel' is very pretty and has gone on my list !
19 Dec, 2008
can hardly believe all thats going on in your garden at this time of year You obviously chose well when planning for lots of winter interest,Spritz,and i bet the viburnum smells lovely.
19 Dec, 2008
Thank you, Spritz, for another interesting blog with lovely photographs. I have now added a few more plants to my wish list and wish most of all that my garden was bigger!
19 Dec, 2008
I'm with Gee on this - If only I had the space .. ! Excellent blogs, Spritz, (only just found them!) - this is the sort of thing that keeps me going! Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year
19 Dec, 2008
Nice blog Spritz . Beautiful photography
19 Dec, 2008
Lovely blog Spritz. Beautiful flowers. I wish I could see them in real life.
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
~ Gilli
20 Dec, 2008
Beautiful. I can't wait for next winter because I hope my garden will be full of colour then too. ( should I say I can't wait for next winter ? lol )
I have lots of these as small cuttings brought from my old garden and I'm hoping they will have grown a bit more by next year.
My 'freckles' died though but I'm going to get a new one in the spring.
Are you able to see these from your lovely garden room ?
20 Dec, 2008
Thanks everyone for your kind comments.
Yes and no, Hywel - some of them, but others are up by the gate to the lane, so I have to pass them when I go out.
Sorry about poor little 'Freckles'! You must get a replacement!
20 Dec, 2008
Well it's nice you can see them as you come in and out. They must look welcoming in the winter.
20 Dec, 2008
Thanks for sharing your winter plants again with us, like most of the others, if only my garden was bigger. anyway all the best for xmas & new year.
20 Dec, 2008
These all look great winter plants Spritz. I'm hoping that as my garden develops I will begin to achieve that all the year round interest that you have. I hope you will keep on with your seasonal blogs to help beginner gardeners like me - after all that's why I joined GOY!
20 Dec, 2008
I have more planned, Gwenda!
Thanks for reading them. :-)
20 Dec, 2008
Wonderful planning in the winter garden. I only wish I had the Location to let anything do anything outside. I'm tempted to start bringing in the shrubs with my tropicals....lol. Thanks for the blogging inspiration too. I always say I will, about time to start. Best wishes this new year Spritz! Joseph
21 Dec, 2008
Great blog Spritz, you have some lovely winter flowers, i have tried Clematis cirrhosa, twice now, unfortunatly without much luck, may have to pick your brains on this, i tried 'freckles year before last and it just died, and i put in a 'Wisely Cream' this year, in a completely different location and well lets just say it does'nt look very evergreen at the moment. the freckles was in quite a shady location, but got plenty of sun on the top during the summer, the wisely cream semi shade in winter, dappled shade in summer but again with plenty of sun on top, planted just below soil level, good soil, why? so not fair, looking at these pic's you have inspired me to try another time. lol
21 Dec, 2008
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You have a lovely variety of winter flowers Spritz.
The Clematis have the 'wow factor', but they are all beautiful.
Thanks for sharing the super photos.
Have a happy Christmas.
With love and best wishes from us both,
Grenville and Alan.
19 Dec, 2008