Winter Garden Interest

posted in: Photography | 13
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What winter garden interest have you got? I’m on a quest to establish lots of winter beauty in my garden. However I don’t have many evergreens to give structure to the borders. But what I have got is lots of perennial seed heads from the hydrangea, lyrthrum, echinacea, rudbeckia and the many grasses. Furthermore they take on such a new look when covered in ice and snow.  Along with them here’s what else gives winter garden interest throughout the borders…

Winter Garden Interest

Lunaria annua Honesty seedheads - winter garden interest
I can really appreciate the silver penny translucent orbs from the Lunaria annua (Honesty) seed heads dancing in the winter sunlight.
Acer griseum paperbark maple - winter garden interest
Furthermore there’s the exfoliating layers of cinnamon peel off the bark from the young Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple).
Corylus avellana Contorta Harry Lauders Walking Stick catkins - winter garden interest
Moreover the twists and turns from the Corylus contorta (Harry Lauders Walking Stick) stems never ceases to amaze me. In fact it has male and female flowers on every branch. The male catkins being very showy while tiny pink female flowers are at the base of the catkin. As the plant is grafted the odd straight stem from the ‘avellana’ root stock needs pruning out every now and then.
Carlina acaulis (Dwarf Carline Thistle) winter garden interest
While not far from the Acer grows the Carlina acaulis (Dwarf Carline Thistle).  It looks very blah during the winter. But with a touch of frost those seed heads transform into something very pretty under the inspection of a macro lens. It also makes a great home for the ladybirds during the winter months.
Euonymus alatus compacta winged spindle bush tree
The Euonymus alatus Compacta (Winged Spindle Tree) even gives winter interest in its deciduous state with its corky ridges on the stems.
Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire Winter Beauty Dogwood
And finally to warm you up there’s a blaze of fiery stems from the aptly named Cornus sanguinea Midwinter Fire (Winter Beauty Dogwood).
Complimenting these are some evergreen conifers, winter flowering witch hazel flowers and my long lasting lenten rose flowers. However there are also these posts on winter interest and beauty in decay to check out too!
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Photography Tutor and Gardener

Rosie is a garden photographer, writer and nature lover. She enjoys soaking up nature and is easily distracted from doing the weeding by anything that flutters, flies, buzzes, creeps or crawls! She enjoys sharing the beauty of creation through her photography. Rosie has been featured on TV on BBC2's The Beechgrove Garden and she uses the outdoors as her natural light studio. Her work can be seen at one of Scotland's only photography galleries - Close Gallery, 4b Howe Street, Edinburgh.

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13 Responses

  1. Andrea

    Brrrr! Hi Rosie, i can feel the cold from your post. What is beautiful with blogposts is that we can look at isolated scenes and not the wide angle ones, and the camera can produce wonderful works of art if the eyes of the holder are very artistic. Now i look at your photos looking for leading lines and ROT! I still am amazed with your f1.4, haha.

    [re-your question. Most flowers including Tillandsias' fade through time till dehiscence. T cyanea (in my office before turn light pink from purple). Other flowers even become white, off white or purple. Those are the characteristics of carotenoids. Maybe sunlight can affect the rate of change but not much, as it is really in their characteristics.

  2. HolleyGarden

    Love your header! All the pictures are so pretty, and it's almost like seeing the year at a glance. You have some very pretty winter plants. I really want a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick! I need to write that down so I don't forget!

  3. Lona

    What beautiful winter textures ans macro pictures. I love all of the details in the closeups. Gorgeous pictures!

  4. Caroline Gill

    I am particularly drawn to the warm colours of that lovely Paperbark Maple, Rosie! Your photography is truly stunning – and I always enjoy your commentaries! We were very struck last months with how many Plane trees there were in Philadelphia … and also on Liberty Island, NY.

  5. ann

    Such beautiful photos with such good detail. Love the contrasts of the plant material.

  6. Michelle

    Love how you searched and discovered beauty deep within a dreary covering! It's been a weird winter here… Hardly any frost or snow to dress up the winter browns. But that's ok, cause spring is coming! 🙂

    Have a blessed day, sweet friend!

  7. tyziana

    When I go to your blog I am always enchanted with your photos!
    The perfection of detail leaves me breathless!
    The pictures are beautiful and re-evaluate a season often overlooked!
    A hug!
    Titty

  8. Anna

    Honesty is one of those plants that really works hard for a living. Perhaps even more beautiful at this time of the year than when it is in flower. The bark on your maple is glorious Rosie. I was having a struggle yesterday to pull out some cornus where it had rooted and was sending out stems onto the pathway 🙂

  9. Lyn

    There is always something wonderful to find in Creation if we take the time to look closely, isn't there? Thank you for highlighting this so beautifully.