Michael's Top 10 for Winter Colour in the Garden

Your garden needn't look lifeless and bland in winter. Using texture and colour, any outdoor space Michael Green at Pennine can look rich with Christmas reds and greens as well as a rainbow of pinks, yellows and whites.

Following the resounding response to Michael Green’s winter top ten last year he has kindly done the same this year to help you decide on what you need.  Michael is our outdoor plant specialist at our Pennine Garden Centre.

With a little bit of thought and consideration your garden can be just as exciting and attractive during winter as in the summer months.

There are many versatile trees, shrubs and plants that can give depth and texture to your garden and bring amazing colour with flowers, berries and leaves.  You don’t have to worry if you have limited planting beds either as many of thee plants will also thrive in pots with the right care and attention.

Ilex  Aquifolium  J.C. Van Tol - English Holly:  Dark, almost spineless green leaves and large, regular crops of red fruit

Daphne Mezereum – Daphne: Well-known, sweet scented deciduous shrub flowering in February and March. Purple red flowers followed by scarlet fruits

Callicarpa profusion -  Beauty Berry: Free-fruiting shrub with bronze-purple foliage and dense clusters of violet fruits

Chimonanthus praecox- Winter-sweet: Flowers around Christmas with beautiful purple centred yellow

Helleborus Niger - Christmas Rose: Very easy to grow and blooming from Autumn through until spring

Erica carnea - Springwood White (cultivar):  Low-growing sub shrub reaching 10-25 cm in height. Evergreen needle leaves and dark red bell shaped flowers

Lonicera Fragrantissima - Shrubby honeysuckle: Lovely flowering species with delicate creamy white flowers

Corylus Avellana Contorta - Corkscrew Hazel: Easily to grow and very interesting visually, branches literally do corkscrew with beautiful rich green

Garry Elliptica- Silk- tassel bush: Long tassels hang from this impressive plant during winter and early Spring, very unusual plant that complements more traditional plants in the garden

Gaultheria Mucronata - Prickly heath: Evergreen shrub with dark green glossy leaves and clusters of small white flowers and purple fruit