PLEASE SHARE PICS OF Winter Interest landscapes

Hi everyone~

I have an area on the west side of my house that needs landscaping (to hide AC unit). It gets afternoon sun some shading from the house. I am looking for people to share some of their landscaping ideas and pictures of plants with winter interest. Thanks!

Rae. I am too far South for much in the way of things that would work for you, but here is a link to some shrubs that might work for your area.

http://shrubs.suite101.com/article.cfm/winter_flowering_shrubs

Thanks Howl!! I have to see how big some of these plants get but they are pretty!!!

You are too welcome Rae. Hope you find one that works. I use a loropetalum to screen our a/c unit. It is only hardy to zone 7, unfortunately.

These aren't my pics but I am planning on getting these to put in front of row of poplars in my back yard

Red twig dogwood

and some Ilex

Wow, I really like the Red Twig Dogwood.
http://provenancegarden.com

This message was edited Jan 27, 2010 4:19 AM

I have a few of those they are beautiful!!!! I am looking for a variety of winter interest plants so I can decorate my house during the holidays and possibly feed the birds with some shrubs with berries! thanks everyone!

I'm zone 5a. All the pictures in my photobucket album of the 'yellow and blue' garden are on the W side of my home- as that is where that garden is!

My photobucket name is 'cheerpeople'

You can find it there of indirectly by going to my blog here and I have links to other albums of mine there then look for it that way.

there are older pics of that garden in webshots- same "cheerpeople' there too.
Hope it helps.

Here are some winter pics from the garden as viewed from inside my cozy house.
I took these last weekend. The curly willow is the only pic NOT on the west side.

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y256/cheerpeople/inside%20pics%20of%20the%20outside%20jan%2010/

I found the blue and yellow garden pics are at my webshots album not photobucket... the quickest way there is the second homepage link on my member page

very nice cheerpeople!

I think the grass I have on order would be good for Winter interest and hiding an ac unit. It is a fountain grass, Pennisetum alopecuroides - Fountain Grass. I have seen photos of it with snow on the fountain grass part, quite stunning. I am ordering from a place in Canada. I have had trouble finding the straight species of Fountain grass. All I can ever find in US is 'Hameln' and others, but not that one.

I got it at bluestem.ca
http://www.bluestem.ca/pennisetum-alopec.htm

I found this photo on the web of some Fountain Grass against a wall.
http://www.laderaheights.info/landscape/photo/pennisetum.rubrum.jpg
I tried to find a photo of it with snow on it but I couldn't. I must've saw that in a book.
Although P. rubrum isn't the one I ordered. P. rubrum is called Purple Fountain Grass commonly I believe and its only an annual in most northerly places because its like a zone 9 plant (it'd be one and done here..lol). The straight species says zone 4, but nurseries I think always say stuff is hardier than it really is, so I'd guess zone 5 for P. alopecuroides (straight fountain grass). Ever seen the Arborday.org zone hardiness map? It puts everybody about a zone up..lol

I was going to link you to this pic from the NE forum but you have to be a subscriber, so I did a copy and paste
This is Victor's Nandina, those berries really stand out,

wow, that's pretty flowerjen!


This message was edited Aug 4, 2010 6:55 PM

Thanks that really is pretty!!! I'm writing that one down!

Nandina are very invasive - (but beautiful) you will be pulling out blown babies forever. here is an edgeworthia . It will perfume the yard too in (at least here in NC) Feb - March. Even a hard freeze/snow when flowers are on the bush won't stop it.

This is on the west side of the house. It has long med-dark green leaves that fill out the branches when not in bloom.

juniper in the snow

I LOVE that Nandina!!! But I already have over an acre to take care of with many flower beds and a veggie garden. I am trying to find plants that I can enjoy and won't mind a little neglect. I did buy one of those Carlina sapphire which I thought was a juniper but am learning is a cypress. I put it in a pot for the winter on my porch with some other winter interest plants. But as it is only about 3 ft tall I am concerned about how I get it to stay somewhat straight when I plant it in the ground. Should I leave it in the pot for a few years. It seems to flimsy and delicate to stake down. I also want to plant it where it doesn't have a lot of protection from the wind. Does anyone know anything about this plant?

Thanks everyone!

Look at the various Forsythias, Rae...very easy care shrubs

I found this old thread to add some winter pics. The grasses and yuccas look nice in the snow.

Another snowy pic of yuccas.

It's all so pretty until things break from the ice.
I have a loropetalum (never can spell that) that I think may be a goner ---- and it was trimmed up to be a small tree. Took lots of time.

My beautyberry - callicarpia - is great for winter interest and the birds. The berries are a really pretty shade of lavendar purple and the branches just 'flow'. I also like holly; I have 'China Girl Blue' and 'China Boy Blue' that hides some items in front of DH's garage. I have the red-twig dogwoods and they were slow the first year but this past year they took off and are so pretty in front of my lower level windows. I am definitely gettng one of those Nandinas though!

Cheerpeople - nice job!

This message was edited Jan 18, 2011 8:21 PM

Hi - just wanted to add grasses and vines as winter interest that grow quickly, but remain standing until spring to provide some lovely views. These are miscanthus (maiden grasses), tufted hair grass, and a sweet autumn clematis that overlook and protect the pond over the winter. Dax

Might I suggest this book _The Garden in Winter_ by Rosemary Verey. I don't have it myself but it is on my wishlist and it looks very inspiring.

Get yourself over to your local library where there are books to take home on loan that cover the very type of gardening you are after, how to group the different plants into groups, ground cover, tall climbers etc, the coloured prictures are normally well illustrated, the joy is, you can borrow the gardening (or any) books as many times as you like, it's a good way to find out IF the book you want to buy is everything you want, Gardening books are not cheep and this gives you instant ideas, colours and textures as well as preperation for planting.
Good luck. WeeNel.

Winterberry generally sports red beriies until February or so.

Note that only the female plants have berries, but that you need at least one male plant in the area.

Matching combinations are ...

Winter Red (female) & Southern Gentleman (male)
Berry Nice (female) & Jim Dandy (male)

Some of these you can get in matched pairs.

Here's another winter scene to consider ...

I have been considering the red dogwood twigs, but think it may not make it in Zone 9. What does it look like in the summer?

I too have a problem with the winter yard looking dull.
My neighbor has a dwarf evergreen bush with blooms like a bottle brush tree but smaller. Anyone knows the name?

Plantsforpeg, I haven't had any luck getting them to thrive here just south of Baton Rouge. They do not like our heat and humidity. here is some info.

http://agriculture.tennessee.edu/news/PlantofMonth/2009/0901-POM.htm

moon howl: My granddaughter attends Dutchtown High. Now,don't you go around and howl too loudly and scare her.........HA

Not to worry....grin I am east of her in Spartan territory (Grandson son goes to St Amant High)

Leisure500...Thank you!! That is exactly what I am looking for! I want one or two of those plants!! Thanks for the names of the pairs as well!!! I already have two red twig dogwoods and I have one forsythia bush. I have juniper and cypress already!! But with spring comes my addiction to plants and we will see where it leads me!! Thanks again everyone!!!! You make gardening a cinch!