At the risk of stating the obvious, winter is the opposite of summer. The latter is about being bold and bright; large and loud. Winter on the other hand, with its cold temperatures and short, dark days, requires a slightly different approach, for which there is no obvious alliterative coupling.
That’s not to say you can’t have colour and texture in winter, it’s just that there’s perhaps less room for subtlety, as there’s less inclination to linger and shorter time for the beholder to cast their eye over a planting scheme.
Winter plants are lower growing, able to withstand a battering by the elements without capitulating. For effective displays you therefore either need a grand scale that can be viewed from a distance – drifts of snowdrops, shrubs like dog wood or trees like silver birch being prime examples – or something more modest in size that draws the inquisitive eye towards it, such as a container.
Winter containers, perhaps more so than their summer counterparts, can be viewed as little garden microcosms. You can have trees, shrubs, flowers, a herb garden, and even a vegetable patch.
The ground rules differ slightly from summer containers, with the most noteworthy point being that plants don’t grow much over winter, so you want to ensure they’re already a decent size before planting up. Another difference is that your plants won’t need feeding but will likely need watering every so often.
Be as adventurous as you like with your container, using Belfast sinks, half barrels, old style galvanised baths, chimney pots, up-cycled car tyres or plain old (frost-proof) terracotta pots, but be sure to position them somewhere that gets the maximum amount of sunlight.
Pots should be raised up on feet so the compost can drain and the roots won’t get waterlogged. In areas liable to freezing you may need to use bubble wrap or fleece around your containers in severe weather.
The selection of plants available is surprisingly extensive.
My winter bedding favourite is cyclamen, arguably the loudest of its ilk but never brash. It’s hardy and reasonably robust but doesn’t like too much rain. Available in a spectrum that ranges from white through pink and deep red, varieties with marbled foliage add more interest.
A summer bedding plant that will last in gardens that avoid the severest frosts is senicio, it’s silvery, woolly foliage makes a great foil to greenery.
Evergreen shrubs such as box and skimmia will give your container height and class in one fell swoop, especially if berries are thrown into the bargain. Wintergreen (Gaultheria) will creep and tumble rather than grow upwards but it too has berry interest.
Ivy, of traditional green or variegated, is good for a festive vibe, as is a dwarf conifer.
Thyme and rosemary will give your container an aromatic twist, and can be deployed fresh in the kitchen if need be.
The cabbage in your winter display, including the likes of the very popular Brassica oleracea (Capitata Group) Tokyo Series F1, is bred for its looks rather than their flavour – so avoid eating. This variety produces a rosette of greyish-green leaves that are creamy white or pink towards the centre.
Include some miniature daffodils or crosuses that will appear early in the new year and you may even be tempted outside a little more often to admire your own handiwork.
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