Gardens with winter interest have become increasingly popular in recent years as more and more people are discovering new ways to bring glimpses of their gardens indoors and take advantage of the seasonal color. Perhaps you may have a framed view of your garden from a kitchen window or enjoy a particular perspective of the garden from another room illuminated by the afternoon sun. This will sure bring some warmth inside during those bitter cold spells. Another way to bring the outdoors in is by pruning select branches from the bloodtwig dogwood, winterberry holly and witch hazel. Use these cut stems in a vase of water and enjoy the colorful bark, plump berries and divine fragrance within the coziness of your home. Plants with winter interest add more appeal to your garden all year round. Here’s just a sampling of extraordinary winter color you can find on a brisk walk while visiting the Gardens at DCH.

Witch Hazels are superb shrubs that bloom in mid winter. The flowers are fragrant and appear in many colors depending on what selection you have. The plant is a workhorse in the garden because the shrub takes on a  rugged leaf texture during the summer which makes it a fine landscape specimen. Those leaves then, in the fall, vibrate with a range of purple, red, orange and yellow fall colors. Grow as a specimen shrub or, if you don’t have enough room, try as an espalier to show off the flowers against a complimentary backdrop.

Arnold’s Promise Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold’s Promise’)

Hybrid Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’)

Hybrid Witch Hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’)

The Bloodtwig Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea ‘Mid-Winter Fire’) is a multi-stemmed shrub that gets cut back to the ground every year in April. The strong stem color is generated on branches that grew only last year and intensifies through the winter. These plants came to us for our friends at the University of Delaware Botanic Garden. It is the most asked about plant in the garden during its’ winter celebration.

The Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) is an outstanding native understory shrub or small tree. Its characteristic multi-stemmed branching habit produces plump reddish buds during the winter that begin to open towards the latter part of February. Bright red fruits adorn the plant in fall and are a favorite of squirrels and birds alike.

A stalwart, evergreen perennial in the garden is the Bearfoot Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) because it is both shade and drought tolerant and requires very little maintenance. It is a reliable self sower and flowers on 2 to 3 year old seedlings. The bright green flowers are a welcome sight on bleak winter days and, on closer inspection, some flowers are rimmed in a ruby halo.

Winterberry Hollies are without a doubt some of the best multi-tasking, native shrubs for the landscape. They provide nectar for native insects and attract birds in early spring when they bloom, add fall color interest with golden hues in the fall, the winter fruit is simply stunning and the berries supply food for the birds. To produce adequate berry production plant a male cultivar (‘Apollo’ or ‘Southern Gentleman’) for pollination.

Winter Gold Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’)

Winter Red Winterberry (Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’)
(Planted in the public landscape medians along Kennett Pike in Greenville.)

On another note, there has been a lot of construction in and around DCH lately with the laying of an upgraded gas line in the neighborhood and connecting it to our outdated pipe. Fortunately, besides some pruning and excavating one hole, we did not have to suffer any pavement cutting and patching or dig up any plants to salvage because the contractors used a directional boring device. This allowed the contractors to burrow into the ground (@100 feet), beneath plant root systems, pathways and the entrance circle out to North Dupont St. to make the underground connection.

Below is a short video clip of the constuction:
(You may need to "Allow" Windows Media player to view)

Why just look at pictures? Come visit our gardens!