Plants for Winter Interest

Color at Havenwood, December 2023

Winterberry holly in the curb planting at Havenwood

Winter is a quieter season in the garden, but there still plenty going on. For many years, I’ve been on the lookout for plants that are interesting in the winter time that would make my winter garden walks a little more exciting. Each one of these gives me a reason to venture out in the cold when it would be easier to stay indoors. When you live in a warmer climate, there are many more options for winter plants. But even here in western Pennsylvania in zone 5, we can have some precious flowers and color in December January, and February.

Here are a few plants to add in your shady and sunny gardens for winter. All of these photos are from our garden, Havenwood, in the past week. Try placing them near the house where you will be more likely to see them in the winter time: near a door, out of a window, or where they will entice you to talk a walk to see them.

Snowdrops can start very early in winter. I have reliably had a few Galanthus elwesii up each year at Christmas for the past few years.

Woodland plants that stay green for winter: Autumn fern, Cyclamen hederifolium, Epimedium, Christmas fern and Wood Spurge, native Wood Sedge.