Just discovered this group so I'm sending you the questions that have been on my mind this winter :-)
I'm looking to liven up my yard during our long New England winters. I have planted a couple of red twig dogwoods and will probably plant some more. I'd like to add a few other things and could use some advice.
First, I'm looking to plant in two areas: the front of my house, which is quite shady (some sun in places). The other area, at the base of my backyard, which I just mentioned in my last post, is very wet. It is a brushy area in front of a small brook, very prone to temporary flooding in heavy rains. The birds love this area.
I'm thinking of a couple of things. I'd like some type of shrubs that provide green year round. In the back, I don't care how high they grow, in the front I'd like them to stay low - about 4 or 5 feet I think. Perhaps Korean boxwood, small-leaved holly, or interesting conifers (However, I planted two dwarf somethings, Korean cypress perhaps - sorry I forget the exact name, and I was so disappointed - they almost completely died in the first winter and I lost a dwarf white pine. These cost a lot. I don't want to plant conifers that are expensive and risky in this Mass. zone).
I'd also like color! Brillant red berries come to mind. Winterholly bushes sound appealing and I'll probably go with some of those. I'd like something that appeals to the birds and something that they don't like, so that the color will last all winter.
I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas.
Thanks very much.
Dottie
shrubs for winter color
Hi, Dottie. I'm not a very experienced gardener and I'm just working on getting some on these things into my own garden. What zone are you in there in MA?
I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions here, but you might also ask in the Trees & Shrubs forum. there are some extremely knowledgeable people there.
gram
Hey Dottie
I need to do the same thing in my garden
Have you ever checked out Wayside Gardens' catalog, with all the negatives it got I'm not recommending ordering from there (even though the 1 order I did place was fine) but you can get some great ideas from there. They have some great evergreens and I planted a daphne regal red that has flowers now even though it's 10 degrees!!!!, don't know if it's safe in your zone though. I just saw a gorgeous firethorn in their catalog that I was thinking of getting. Check 'em out.
Jen
Hi Dottie,
I like to use native plants when possible so my suggestions for evergreens would be 2 native hollies, Ilex glabra (inkberry) and Ilex opaca. The inkberry is very versatile because it is available in smaller more compact cultivars and the larger looser species. It can be trimed easily and the smaller varieties are similar in appearance to boxwood, zones(4)5-9, sun to part sun, wet to moderately dry, 3-6 ft. ( I was unsuccessful growing this along the sidewalk strip-road salt, maybe too open and dry at times- but a few feet back it did well). The opaca (American Holly), zone (4)5-9, sun to light shade, moist acidic, 15 -40 ft. is similar to English holly but has a dull matte leaf. If you want color and berries I'd suggest Rosa virginiana, the newer canes are red, small red rose hips "berries" persist through most of the winter and June brings fragrant pink roses. I like using the book "Native Trees,Shrubs & Vines", William Cullina.
Look up Erica and Callunalow growing evergreens (heath and heathers). They are both evergreen and also can bloom in the middle of winter if you get the right cultivar. Nandina domestica is an evergreen with bright red berries. I'm also sending you a picture of one in bloom now.
mgarr, that's a nice pic. the ericas (winter heaths) are generally your winter bloomers, although mine are usually blooming under the snow LOL. some are hardy to z4.
Japanese pieris is nice. there are variegated forms. they are evergreen, spring blooming, early spring growth is pink or red (at least on some varieties)
http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/08510e01e61cc962882571a9005a9153/ceaa23bf1ef128178825684d0072091f!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,pieris
Thanks to you all for your advice. I'm going to start looking these up to learn more about them!
Sorry it took me so long to reply. Work interrupted my gardening daydreams.
Dottie