CREATING BEAUTIFUL DECEMBER GARDENS:
It's Easier Than You Think

The beautiful flowers of fall have faded. Frost has blackened and withered even our toughest annuals. Our show-stopping perennials have had their final encore. The north wind has returned with a renewed enthusiasm. The ghostly silhouettes of stark leafless trees have replaced the beautiful fall foliage. The squirrels are burying everything that resembles an acorn. And our landscapes are beginning to assume the grayness that confirms winter will soon be here.

Many things keep a gardener busy during the late fall: planting bulbs, amending soils, final pruning, and the last clean up of the season. However, when considering fall tasks, many gardeners forget November is a great time to plant a tree or shrub in their landscape. When choosing, pick one of the many that are noted for providing beauty all year long.

Plant beauty does not only come in the form of lush green foliage. The following are a few of my favorite picks for winter beauty. Add plants that will provide everything from wonderful peeling bark to attractive evergreen foliage and red berries. These plants shine and glow in our otherwise quiet, wintry gardens.

River Birch, Betula nigra

This is perhaps the toughest of all birch species. Found natively throughout the Northeast, the South and in parts of the Midwest, it is highly tolerant of poorly drained soil, heat, humidity and an array of pests. River birch can be found in its native environment along riverbeds in our area; it thrives in moist, silty soils. This Birch has a beautiful cinnamon to creamy-brown flaking bark that becomes darker with age. This Birch will get to be large and is a great shade tree in the summer garden. But due to its ease of care, disease and drought resistance, and beautiful, peeling bark it is one of the best Birches in the winter garden.

Kousa Dogwood, Cornus kousa

This dogwood blooms about three weeks later than the native dogwood. The blooms are just as memorable and give quite a different show since they emerge after the tree's leaves have opened. Both species are known for their showy flowers, colorful fall display and red berries. The Kousa has a habit of forming a more multi-bough, umbrella shaped, medium canopy that is very attractive when planted as a specimen tree. The most striking aspect of the Kousa is its beautiful flaking bark that displays various shades of tan, gray and brown. The picture-perfect growth habit and beautiful flaking bark make the Kousa Dogwood a memorable addition to the winter landscape.

American Beech, Fagus grandifolia

Beeches are perhaps the most elegant and noble of the deciduous trees. Their smooth silver-gray bark will brighten even the darkest of winter landscapes. The smooth rippling bark can be compared to an elephant's skin. A native to North American forests, the silver-gray to nearly white bark of the American beech was know as the ghost tree to Native Americans. In your garden, this tree will shimmer and is especially beautiful during a snowfall or full moon. Make sure this full-size tree has plenty of room, as it will mature, however slowly, to between 60 and 80 feet.

Gold Dust Plant, Acuba japonica ‘Variegata'

This shrub is a good example of the beauty that broad leaf evergreens add to the landscape. This variety has dark-green shiny leaves with irregular splotches, freckles and splashes of gold to yellow. The patterns are reminiscent of a painter's canvas. The green stems are thick and smooth. The gold dust plant will easily reach six to ten feet high with a spread that is slightly less. Plant in partial shade in well-drained soil, and add ample organic matter annually. Placing it in full-sun will cause bleaching or scalding of the leaves. Cuttings can be harvested and used for decorations during the holiday season.

Camellia, Camellia sasanqua

Camellias are close relatives to the tea plant (Camellia sinensis); they are beautiful, glossy, dark-leaved evergreen shrubs that are available in a variety of flower colors and types. The flowers range from white to pink to red, and some have two colors on the same flower. The flowers are single, semi-double, and double and can mimic other flowers like peonies or roses. The species sasanqua blooms in the late fall to early winter. In our Washington gardens you can have blooms in mid- to late-December depending on the mildness of early winter. Plant all camellias in well-protected areas since winter winds can burn the leaves. In our gardens the best exposure is western or northern.

They will thrive in moist well-drained acidic soil high in organic compost.

Mahonia, Mahonia japonica

This close relative of barberry has a very pre-historic look and feel. Their leaves are thick and leathery and have an artificial appearance that commands a closer inspection. The leaves are composite leaflets that are very spiny and together make up the entire leaf. Plant will grow six to ten feet high with a very irregular growth pattern. In late winter to early spring, clusters of fragrant yellow flowers appear. They are quite showy when in bloom. The small deep-blue fruit that appears when the blossoms fade provide an early-spring treat for many birds. Mahonia requires well-drained acidic soils in the partial shade.

Heavenly Bamboo, Nandina domestica

The common name that has been give to this native of China may deter many gardeners from planting it. However, rest assured that this plant is not related to the aggressive bamboo plants many of us have a love-hate relationship with. In fact this plant forms a rather neat clump as it matures. The dark, shiny green leaves are sets of leaflets, and the appearance is graceful and fern-like. The foliage is evergreen and changes color to beautiful shades of reds in the winter.

The white clusters of springtime flowers mature into grape like bunches of red berries in fall. The berries provide a dramatic display on the plant or can be used in holiday arrangements. If left on the plants, the berries will last the entire winter. The culture of this plant makes it a must for anyone looking for a low-maintenance, attractive addition to the landscape. It will grow in many soil types and light exposures and is very tolerant of dense shade. Regular pruning by removing the oldest cane in its entirety will help keep the young shoots coming. Pruning can be done in late winter.

Western Arborvitae, Thuja plicata

This arborvitae has a wonderful pyramidal growth habit. It is evergreen and has an emerald green to golden cast on its leaves. This large shrub is perfect for use in screening and can mature to 50-feet tall. However it responds quite well to pruning and can be sheared to a very attractive hedge. During the winter it is quite durable to the damaging weight of snow. It is also very tolerant of either full-sun or shade. This is a great replacement for the often overused Leyland Cypress. Give this shrub moist, well-drained fertile soil, and watch it thrive.

From here the list goes on and on. We could add to it plants that flower in the winter, plants that begin to grow in the fall and have their best foliage by mid-February, and plants that never truly go dormant. In fact the late fall and early winter is just as full of beautiful landscape plants as any other time of year. So during the next visit to your garden center or nursery, ask to see plants that have a winter interest. I am confident you will be surprised by the wide selection of plants that bring winter beauty to your garden. Enjoy!