Brian Minter: Get to know shrubs, flowers that provide winter colour

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We’re enjoying the spectacular autumn colours of so many beautiful trees and shrubs right now, which means it is also the ideal time to look at gardens and patios through the eyes of winter. The next four to five months are the darkest, coldest, bleakest of the year in our gardens. Anything that can add colour or brightness in winter is, perhaps, far more valuable than springtime plants when there is so much colour.

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After the extreme cold of last January, we also need plants that will withstand the cold and the growing conditions of the next few months. This is when we should be conscientious about hardiness zones. During periods when more extreme weather patterns are in play, we want to be reassured that we have plants that tolerate these tough conditions and still provide winter colour.

There are many variations within cold hardiness zones and microclimates. For example, if where you live is exposed to outflow winter winds from the northeast, you might want to choose plants that are rated a zone colder than those designated for your area.

To create accuracy for specific regions, the official zoning map has recently been upgraded, adjusting the cold hardiness ratings by adding the letters ‘a’ or ‘b’ to numerical zone designations. All plants in our area have an assigned hardiness zone compliance; it’s meant to provide a range of cold tolerance, but it’s not an exact science. Experience with your garden location is the best way to determine the plants you can count on to make it through most winters. Even then, there are many factors that play into a plant’s ability to withstand the elements of cold weather.

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In the Lower Mainland and the eastern Fraser Valley and on the coast and Vancouver Island, cold hardiness ratings range from zone 6 to zone 8. The eastern Fraser Valley, with its outflow wind challenges, is zone 6a, which means a cold rating of -20 to -17 C; the central Fraser Valley is rated a 6b which translates to -17 to -15 C; South Surrey is a 7a (-15 to -12 degrees C.); areas close to Vancouver and in North Vancouver are rated 7b (-12 to-9 degrees C.); and Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are zone 8a (-9 to -6 degrees C.). Checking this hardiness zoning gives us a good sense of the plants that we can successfully use for our winter displays.

There are many variables in these areas, but this gives a sense of the hardiness winter plants need to survive. During the January deep freeze, temperatures in the eastern Fraser Valley dropped to -25 C, shifting this region from a zone 6a to a zone 5b or even 5a. This is the main reason why so many zone 6 plants were lost.

There are four basic ways to enjoy winter colour: richly coloured foliage, resilient winter flowers, vibrant berries and interesting shrub and tree stems. Many hardy foliage plants can be enjoyed all year, especially in winter. Colourful conifers, like Gold Thread cypress, orange toned Rheingold cedars, Blue Star junipers, blue Globe cedars and Japanese cryptomerias, which turn bronze in winter. Durable broad-leafed plants, like euonymus, the new golden Thunderbolt lonicera and osmanthus, are all great examples of plants that will not disappoint.

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Many winter flowers are also hardy in most areas: winter-flowering heather, helleborus (Christmas rose), viburnum Pink Dawn, winter-flowering sasanqua camellias and bright yellow winter jasmine to mention a few.

Berries are a lot of fun in winter, and the most prolific is Ilex verticillata, a deciduous holly. Rated zone 4, its berries will last all winter and well into spring. They are also a bird’s favourite treat and can double as a bird feeder. The most popular winter berries come from the gaultheria (wintergreen) family. These bright red, soft pink or white edible berries make any outdoor winter planter come alive. Prickly pyracanthas have vibrant yellow, orange and red berries, and they can be trained on a trellis or fence for a spectacular effect, and birds love them too.

Many varieties of cotoneasters have orange and red berries that can be used to trail over containers or be grown upright along a fence for privacy. All of these cotoneasters are hardy enough plants for the Lower Mainland, but only the hardiest ones will be successful in the eastern Fraser Valley.

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Winter stems of numerous shrubs turn brilliant colours as the temperature drops as the colour often becomes more intense. Shrub dogwoods are, perhaps, the best example because their stems come in a range of colours from bright reds and yellows, to stunning shades of coral and orange. Hardy to zone 5 or lower, their stems will electrify any winter shrub or container arrangement. We all know the beautiful branches of Coral Bark maples, and now there is the newer winter series of acers called  Winter Red and Winter Yellow. Acer Bihou is also a newer variety with vibrant yellow stems that are such a treat in winter. The twisted stems of contorted willows, available in green, yellow and red stemmed varieties, are also nice to enjoy in winter.

Used individually in your garden beds or in containers, all of these great plants will add hardy winter colour.  As the fall colour begins to disappear, we should be transitioning into a long-lasting winter display. Keep in mind your hardiness zone and choose plants accordingly. By planting a combination of winter flowers, foliage, berries and stems, you can elevate your winter garden and create a spectacular display to be admired for years to come.

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