Favourite Trees and Shrubs to Create Interest in your Winter Garden

Although officially spring, winter is still very present here in Southern Ontario.  Looking out our windows we’re seeing bare branches, slightly yellowed evergreen leaves, towering coniferous trees with some cones still clinging to weather-beaten branches and in some cases, flattened browned lawns covered in thin layers of ice and snow.  
However, we can use this time to take stock of our views.  Look out your front window.  What do you see?  Look out your kitchen window.  What do you see?  These are the views that make up half of our year.  Without the leaves, blooms and berries of summer and fall.  We want these views to be equally beautiful in their own way.  Perhaps we want them to frame pretty features, block eyesores or invite visitors from nature.  We can achieve all of these things with the main building blocks of our gardens; namely, trees and shrubs.

Trees and shrubs create a framework for the rest of our garden throughout the other seasons, offer winter interest and habitats for wildlife.  Without these, our gardens and properties would be lacking.

Here are a list of our favourites over here at Sunflower Gardens.  Spring is the perfect time to plant in order for the roots to be fully established by next winter.

Boxwood (Buxes sp.) - A staple in formal and informal gardens alike. Boxwood plants can help to create pathway definition, crisp low hedges, topiaries of varying shapes or hits of evergreen colour within a perennial border. These hardy shrubs will benefit from full to part sun, well drained soil, yearly topping of organic compost and protection from harsh winter winds or salty conditions.

Yew (Taxus sp.) - Similar to Boxwood in it’s use, Yew’s have the added benefit of growing larger and taller than boxwood as well as displaying waxy red berries. They will also thrive in a slightly shadier part of the yard and stay relatively pest free with little intervention. Do remember that all parts of the Taxus genus are poisonous if ingested by humans.

Pine (Pinus sp.) The vast varieties of Pines that can be grown in our region can serve any requirement. Evergreen conifers - Pines can be the tiniest of bonsai plants to the tallest of trees. They add a sculptural quality to the garden and lend themselves well to Japanese style gardens, picturesque northern climate gardens and sandy rock gardens alike.

Hydrangea - Hardy Hydrangea (opposed to the more tender ornamentals) make a lasting impression throughout the winter season. Some varieties begin blooming by mid summer and continue through the fall. Their large blooms dry and stay preserved through the snowy season adding a floral element to the winter garden that is otherwise hard to come by. Different hydrangeas need varying growing conditions so be sure to read the labels on your new plants. Generally, if given a well drained soil, rich in organic matter and planted in full to part sun, most hydrangea will thrive.

Oak (Quercus sp.) - Oak trees tend to retain some of their leaves throughout the winter season. This is a wonderful feature for us, as gardeners as we can have the benefit of beautiful oak trees on our property while also keeping some privacy that normally evergreens can only provide during the winter months. Try Pin Oak for a native addition to your yard or Columnar Oak for a tree that grows upright for a smaller space.

Shrub Rose (Rosa sp.) - Shrub roses are actually quite hardy. They will often re-bloom right up until a heavy frost (depending on variety) and will charm us with their roaming form and colourful rosehips through the winter months. However, you’ll have to try and harvest some of your own rosehips for tea before the birds get to them all!