Forum home Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Winter

WillsWills Posts: 262

My Garden is bare now that summer is gone image i am looking for plants that will flower through the winter next year i like the look of Echinaea Pow Wow Wild Berry can anyone tell me what will compliment this in height and colour and flowering period . not asking for much am i image 

«1

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hi Wills - no you don't want much image

    Perennials all die down for winter so if you want to extend the colour through the seasons you need to add some grasses, shrubs and bulbs. It's always a good idea to have a little area you can see from the house, or that you pass regularly on your way out,  planted with a few evergreens, and you can then add bulbs for early spring, and some spring and summer flowering perennials to add colour later on. Lots of shrubs have late winter scent too so they're useful near a door.

    That way, the structural stuff will be there when there are no other flowering plants, and bulbs in particular are lovely and cheerful when the winter's dragging on and you're desperate for some warmer weather.  image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Echinacea doesn't sound like a winter plant but I don't know the cultivar you mention.

    The winter flowering viburnums, farreri, x bodnantense etc have a lovely scent also the winter flowering honeysuckles, Lonicera x purpusii and fragrantissima. And sarcococcas.

    Snowdrops, Cyclamen coum and some of the crocuses are away very early in the new year as are some of the pulmonarias



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • WillsWills Posts: 262

    Hi nutcutlet Echinacea Wild Berry is the only one i can find that should flower in the later months . No others as far as i can find . i will have a look at the other varieties that you mention at least i have someone to blame if they dont grow image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Yes, you can blame me Wills. I can take it. 

    Winter isn't a time for bright coloured perennials. There are gardens open through the year, Natianal Trust , RHS  and a few NGS, go and have a look at what's impressive. It won't be a few worn out left overs from summer.. It will be bark, stems, dried grasses and seed heads and winter flowering shrubs. And then the bulbs start.

    I forgot to mention Cyclamen coum previously, tiny but delightful in mid winter



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276

    I've got quite a lot of Snowdrops where I can see them from the kitchen window come the new year. Can't wait to see them come up again image

  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276

    Lol nut image I think I have a Cyclamen in one of my pots, its got fancy looking leaves

  • WillsWills Posts: 262

    nutcutlet i will  and your ears will be burning ha image i know what you are saying my back garden is for perennials i loved the summer the back garden looked great .i planted some delphiniums and they are still going and they make me smile every day image the front garden is looking sad no colour image i see what you mean about visiting other gardens and getting ideas . and your prob right i should go and see what is growing at this time of year .

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Structure is good in winter, a few evergreens, a bit of bright variegation maybe, a holly or euonymus. Not too much evergreen though or you wont have space for the snowdrops etc.

    Snowdrops are best bought green in spring, not dry in packets now, cheaper and they won't die on you.



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • WillsWills Posts: 262

    i am looking for flowers with height as i have a 12 foot fence as a back drop to my front garden image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    You need shrubs Wills. Perennials grow tall but not for longimage



    In the sticks near Peterborough
Sign In or Register to comment.