 |
| White birch |
From a Franklin County Master Garden blog entry in February, 2012
In planning her garden, Master Gardener Iris Masters included plants that would provide winter interest: birch trees, Japanese andromeda, Oregon grape holly, magnolia and cypress trees, nandina and crape myrtle.
Iris and I took a turn ‘round the yard through the season’s first snow flurries and I snapped some photos. I missed the hawk roosting in the birch (Betula jacquemontii) but captured the contrast of the tree, listed as the whitest one available, against the evergreens.
The Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) provides a bright greeting near the front door. The Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium) displays its yellow-green holly leaves.
 |
| Magnolia tree |
Iris’ landscape plan provided shelter from winter winds for the large magnolia shown above in the front yard which holds its deep green all winter.
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is not a true bamboo but a member of the barberry family. The berries are beautiful but they are not as popular with birds as holly berries although mockingbirds and others will eventually eat them. The Hinoki cypress tree (Chamaecyparis obtuse ‘Kosteri’) has beautiful form and evergreen foliage.
 |
| Crape Myrtle |
Other yards around Penn National show winter landscape interest using ornamental grasses, unusual evergreen specimens, or bark as well as trees placed so their winter-bare branches create eye-catching silhouettes.
 |
| Barberry |
When there’s a break in winter weather, take a turn around your yard and see what you have and when those post holiday plant and seed catalogues start coming perhaps plan to add something in the coming year for next winter.
Check out the eBlog FRANKLIN COUNTY (PA) GARDENERS for many more Winter Interest plants.
https://franklincountymgs.blogspot.com/2014/12/revisit-winter-blogs-of-interest.html
~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener
No comments:
Post a Comment