Add Color to Landscape In Winter

With careful planning and selection, winter can be one of the more colorful times for a landscape. With less competition from leafy green plants, those with colorful berries, interesting bark, striking flowers and foliage become more noticeable. And winter is the ideal season to plant these colorful options. Below are some good choices for your clients' winter landscape choices.

American Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
This is an adaptable evergreen that can thrive in almost any landscape. Hundreds of cultivars have been introduced which allow this native northeastern U.S. plant to work in many applications. It features foliage colors like the bright gold foliage of 'Yellow Ribbon,' 'Lutea' and 'Sunkist'; the orange-bronze color of 'Rheingold' and 'Fire Chief'; and the showy foliage of 'Sherwood Frost' and 'Wansdyke Silver.'

Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice' (Cupressus arizonica)

This plant is one of the bluest conifers available, and it is fast growing and can reach a height of can grow to 16 feet.

Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica)

This plant features brilliant silver-blue foliage and a weeping, cascading stance.

Bloodtwig Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)

The standout features of this plant include golden fall foliage and branches and stems that start out yellow at the base, and then gradually turn bright orange to red towards the plant tips.

Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum)

The Japanese Maple can grow 20-feet tall, and the bark turns coral red in late fall and then shines in the winter landscape. It grows best in morning sun and afternoon shade.

Chinese Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)

'Gold Lace' and 'Saybrook Gold' are the two best golden foliage Chinese Junipers. They can grow to three feet tall and five feet wide. The 'Daub's Frosted' produces yellow new growth that matures to a bluish green. For blue, choose the 'Holbert'. It matures at three feet tall x eight feet wide. They all thrive in full-sun.