THE winds this week have stripped the last of leaves from the deciduous trees as the garden moves quickly from colourful autumn mode into winter starkness.
But just because we’re entering the time of year when the garden is the least amenable to gardening, it doesn’t mean the garden itself should necessarily reflect this. On the contrary, it’s at this time of year when you most need your spirits lifted with a splash of colour.
Evergreens really are perfect plants for pepping up your patio or doorstep over winter, as they’ll add both colour and structure – and despite the name, it’s not just shades of green on offer. Look no further that the conifer family for some super shades of gold and blue too.
With just a couple of well chosen, well placed planters you can make a new addition to your outside space that will put a spring in your step throughout winter. Euonymus fortunei cultivars are the ideal evergreen shrubs for the job, with their bright, beautiful leaves and attractive growth habits. Choose a couple of these and some matching pots to give your patio an instant eye-catching makeover or make you shrub border glow.
This range of cultivars bring striking, confident colour even on the dullest winter day. With names like 'Emerald Gaiety' and 'Emerald 'n' Gold' or 'Silver Queen', you know they’re not going to be discreet. These three shrubs are particularly fun examples.
'Emerald Gaiety' has green leaves with white margins that bear pink tinges in winter. This shrub is compact, reaching a height of approx one metre. Alternatively, go for 'Emerald 'n' Gold'. The gorgeous, deep yellow margins and green hearts on the leaves of this plant never fail to get noticed. Looking like a trove of sparkling gold coins, this exciting small shrub is a great choice to take pride of place to greet you to and from your journey to work.
The unmistakable star of the range has got to be 'Silver Queen'. The glossy, dark green leaves with exquisite white margins bring a sense of affluence and style to the garden. Growing to a possible height of 2.5 metres and a width of 1.5 metres this shrub really is a winter treasure bringing all-year-round garden magic to your home.
These plants offer masses of value throughout the year. In addition to boosting the look of your garden, patio, deck or yard in early winter, when Christmas comes, you’ve already got outdoor colour to enhance your festive decorations.
Plus, if you are planting your Euonymus fortunei in a shrub border, then how about adding some spring bulbs to change the scene as winter passes and taking advantage of the sumptuous colourful backdrop your Euonymus can provide. Choose spring bulbs with mellow yellow, soft blue or crisp white flowers to create a really special seasonal show.
In addition to their gloom-lifting properties, the unfussy Euonymus fortunei is easily maintained. The plants will cope quite happily in poor soil, are tough and, of course, can stand winter frosts. They do enjoy a full sun position – especially if you really want to make the best of the variegation on the leaves.
So get your gardening gloves back down off the shelf and pop to your garden centre this weekend. Planting some fabulous foliage is quick, easy and gorgeous – a fun winter project to bring some special plant magic to your garden on those grey days.
