Berberis
verruculosa, leaves in fall
Erica darleyensis, in winter
Taxus baccata ‘Repandens’
Nandina domestica, Dwarf form in winter
Thuja occidentalis, plant habit in winter
Gaultheria procumbens
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Beyond
Flowers
Few
of us are willing to forego flowers in our gardens entirely,
and with good reason. One of the
greatest pleasures of gardening is anticipating the appearance
of favorite blooms and enjoying their show—for the
time it lasts. Alas, many floral displays are short-lived—and
a great deal of care may be required to help them along.
In my garden, I’ve come to expect flowers to be fleeting
accents, punctuation points—and now I limit the number
of flowering plants that are particularly fussy and insist
on constant attention if they’re to look good. Of
course, “good looks” are in the eye of the
gardener. I love the way peony foliage ages through the
summer and into the fall—although given my love of
peonies, I might invite them to stay if only for the flowers.
I don’t mind that they disappear entirely from December
to March. Nor do I hold that same habit against the hostas.
I’ve developed a taste for the sparse look in winter
of the areas where the peonies and hostas prosper during
the other three seasons. While they’re resting underground,
I can appreciate the Gaultheria procumbens ‘Macrocarpa’ shining
through the gray winter days, freed from the hosta canopy,
and the Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Compacta’ that
finally has the chance to strut its stuff without fighting
the peonies for center stage.
How
plants look when they’re not flowering
has become very important to me. Leaf color and texture,
as well as size—these are among the attributes that
I might overlook if I think solely in terms of flowers.
Some plants have only “inconspicuous” blooms—but
the leaves of Heuchera ‘Persian Carpet’,
for example, are as pretty as can be, all season long.
And flaky-barked shrubs and small trees—among them
deciduous maples and hawthorns as well as evergreen junipers
and Cryptomeria—add their own elements of
beauty. I appreciate the grasses that are well-behaved
and attractive all year, and deciduous shrubs with good
shape—not too twiggy—that offer up delightful
surprises like interesting seedpods or plump little buds
or berries to catch my eye. Some of these berries are fancied
by birds, who chatter happily from the safe haven provided
by the stickery and tangled midst of the flowering quince
to remind me that even “twiggy” has a place
in my garden. More and more I expect the plants that I
grow to hold their own by looking good most of the year—rather
than blinding me with flower-power during two weeks in
May and then looking tired from their effort throughout
the summer—or demanding constant deadheading to keep
their good looks.
And there are so many choices of handsome
plants that require little attention from me. Nandina sparkles
in the winter, the December to April flower show of Erica
darleyensis ‘Ghost Hills’ only enhances
its attractiveness, and Calluna ‘Winter
Chocolate’—well, its name says it all. Dogwoods
with red twigs, Kerria with green ones, and Berberis
verruculosa, much too pretty for the common name—warty
barberry—somebody stuck on it. And if I must have
a few more flowers in December, if I simply can’t
make it through until the winter-blooming jasmine and Chinese
witch hazel take off in January—well, there’s
always Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’.
Small
conifers deserve star status in the year-round, easy-care
garden. So many are available now,
in all shapes, sizes, leaf textures, and—at least
it seems so—colors. It’s hard to beat the combination
of Juniperus scopulorum ‘Moonglow’ next
to a Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’—or
a Taxus baccata ‘Watnong Gold’ or ‘Repandens
Aurea’ sprawling over the top of a rock wall. Who
said yews had to be huge? If you’re interested in
the possibilities small conifers offer, a great place to
start your search for information is the American Conifer
Society Web site at www.conifersociety.org.
Coming up with new ideas about what makes
for an interesting garden is easy in December, when the
bare bones of your landscape stand stark and dramatic.
Why not try something different? Consider adding a few
plants that offer more than just pretty flowers, and you
may find yourself heading into spring with a new interest
in foliage colors and textures. Looking at Heuchera, Hypericum,
and Hakonechloa—and of course, Hosta—will
inspire you to explore new possibilities. There are literally
hundreds of choices of plants that provide interest with
aspects other than flowers. And who knows—you may
just find you’ll have more time to stop and smell
the roses if you don’t actually grow them.
Happy
holidays, everyone—and best
wishes for a good-growing New Year!
*all pictures courtesy of Oregon
State University Landscape Plant Database |
