The odd "winter interest" plant can lift a garden, but a garden full of these plants provides a real winter wow.
Wandering the paths and tracks at Dunedin Botanic Garden, you can find many plants with great winter qualities, but if you are short on time, head for the Theme Borders to the right of the Gardens Corner entrance. There you will find an entire area dedicated to winter- and spring-flowering plants. It’s the perfect spot to get ideas for your garden.
Daphne bholua is flowering exceptionally this year. The fragrance is a real treat, so plant close to the house or near a path. Daphne mezereum is also starting to burst out, its small purple-pink flowers on the bare stems.
Another flowering on bare stems is Chaenomeles ‘Dazzler’, the flowers appearing as bright red jewels on the stems.
However, if you are after a tough plant for dry shade, butcher’s broom, Ruscus aculeatus ‘Wheeler’s Variety’ is the pick for this time of year. Large red berries are suspended gracefully from the lower leaf surface.
Before you leave the botanic garden, check Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’. The long silver flower catkins can be 20cm or more in length and make quite the feature in the winter garden.
● Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden. For further information contact Barbara Wheeler.
