Winter Flowering Shrubs

Hebe 'Joan Mac' is a vibrant and compact evergreen shrub that brings a burst of color and texture to any garden. This delightful plant features glossy, deep green foliage that forms a neat, rounded mound, providing year-round structure and interest. From summer through to autumn, 'Joan Mac' showcases stunning spikes of vibrant purple-pink flowers that attract pollinators and create a striking contrast against its lush foliage. Ideal for borders, rockeries, and container planting, this hardy shrub thrives in well-drained soil and enjoys a sunny to partially shaded position. Its low-maintenance nature and reliable performance make Hebe 'Joan Mac' a perfect choice for adding long-lasting color, enhancing garden designs, and creating eye-catching displays in both modern and traditional landscapes.

The Cornus kousa 'Scarlet Fire' is a striking deciduous dogwood tree, highly valued for its vibrant pink to deep fuchsia bracts that appear in late spring to early summer. Unlike the more common white-flowered dogwoods, ‘Scarlet Fire’ stands out with its long-lasting and intense colour, making it a showstopper in any garden.

It is known for its vigorous growth, disease resistance, and stunning ornamental appeal. It typically reaches a height of around 4.5 to 6 metres (15-20 feet) with a spreading, upright habit. Its dark green, ovate leaves provide a lush summer canopy, turning attractive shades of orange and red in autumn, adding seasonal interest.

In May to June, the tree is adorned with large, star-shaped floral bracts that begin as a soft pink and gradually deepen to a rich fuchsia. These flowers are not only visually striking but also provide nectar for pollinators. Following the flowering period, raspberry-like fruits develop, which are edible and attract birds.It thrives in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and prefers a sunny or partially shaded position. Once established, it demonstrates good drought tolerance, though young plants benefit from regular watering.

Perfect for small gardens, woodland edges, or as a specimen tree, 'Scarlet Fire' adds a striking colour contrast to mixed borders. It works well in both traditional and contemporary landscapes, offering year-round beauty with minimal maintenance.

For UK gardeners, this hardy dogwood is an excellent choice, bringing bold colour and reliable performance to the garden with its spectacular spring blossoms and autumn foliage.

Pittosporum 'Bannow Bay' is a remarkable evergreen shrub that enchants garden enthusiasts with its elegant appearance and versatility. Belonging to the Pittosporaceae family, this cultivar is prized for its lush foliage, compact growth habit, and suitability for a variety of garden settings.

Standing at a moderate height of 6-8 feet and spreading about 4-6 feet, 'Bannow Bay' is a well-behaved shrub that fits seamlessly into both small and large landscapes. Its compact, rounded shape makes it an excellent choice for hedges, borders, or as a standalone specimen plant.

The most striking feature of Pittosporum 'Bannow Bay' is its foliage. The leaves are glossy, deep green, and oval-shaped, creating a lush and vibrant appearance throughout the year. This dense foliage serves as an attractive backdrop for other plants and provides year-round interest, making it a popular choice for garden design.

In addition to its aesthetic appeal, 'Bannow Bay' emits a delightful fragrance from its small, inconspicuous flowers, adding an aromatic dimension to your garden. These fragrant blossoms typically appear in late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

One of the standout characteristics of 'Bannow Bay' is its adaptability to various environmental conditions. It thrives in both full sun and partial shade, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of garden locations. It also demonstrates good tolerance to drought once established, making it suitable for regions with varying moisture levels.

Overall, Pittosporum 'Bannow Bay' is a versatile and visually appealing evergreen shrub that enhances garden aesthetics year-round. Its compact growth, glossy green foliage, fragrant flowers, and adaptability to different settings make it a valuable addition to gardens, providing both beauty and functionality to any landscape. Whether used as a hedging plant, a specimen shrub, or a foundation planting, 'Bannow Bay' is sure to elevate the charm of any outdoor space.

Sarcococca, commonly known as Sweet Box, is a genus of evergreen shrubs prized for their resilience and delightful fragrance. Among these, Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis ‘Winter Gem’ stands out as a compact and versatile cultivar, perfect for brightening up gardens during the colder months.

‘Winter Gem’ is a low-growing, mound-forming shrub, typically reaching heights of 50-60 cm with a similar spread. Its glossy, dark green leaves create a lush, dense canopy that provides year-round interest. In winter, this unassuming shrub becomes a true gem, producing clusters of small, creamy-white flowers. Though modest in appearance, these blooms are intensely fragrant, releasing a sweet, honeyed scent that permeates the garden, making it a favourite for winter sensory appeal.

Thriving in partial to full shade, ‘Winter Gem’ is well-suited to a variety of garden settings, including borders, underplanting of trees, or even as a ground cover in darker corners where other plants might struggle. It is tolerant of a range of soil types, provided they are well-drained, and requires minimal maintenance once established.

This hardy plant is not only easy to grow but also resistant to pests and diseases, adding to its appeal. For the best results, prune lightly after flowering to maintain its shape and promote healthy growth.

Whether used in a mixed planting scheme or as a standalone feature, Sarcococca ‘Winter Gem’ brings elegance and an uplifting fragrance to the winter garden, making it a cherished choice for UK gardeners looking to add year-round charm to their outdoor spaces. Its understated beauty and ease of care ensure it remains a popular addition to gardens, large and small.

Juniperus pfitzeriana 'Old Gold', commonly known as 'Old Gold' Juniper, is a popular ornamental evergreen shrub recognized for its striking golden-yellow foliage. This cultivar is a product of the species Juniperus pfitzeriana, which is often used in garden landscapes due to its aesthetic appeal and easy-care nature.

The 'Old Gold' Juniper displays a compact and spreading habit, typically reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet with a wider spread of up to 6 feet. What makes it particularly distinct is its foliage coloration. While the new growth emerges bright gold, older needles present a richer, deep golden hue. During colder winter months, this foliage often takes on a beautiful bronze tint, adding seasonal interest to gardens.

Its slow-growing nature, combined with its ability to tolerate a variety of soil conditions, makes it an ideal choice for a range of landscaping applications. Whether used as ground cover, border plantings, or focal points, this juniper brings color and texture to the garden throughout the year.

Moreover, Juniperus pfitzeriana 'Old Gold' is notably drought-tolerant once established, making it suitable for xeriscaping. It requires minimal maintenance and is generally resistant to common pests and diseases, including deer, thus further enhancing its appeal to gardeners and landscape designers alike.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, commonly known as hardy plumbago or leadwort, is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial plant native to China. It is prized for its vibrant blue flowers and attractive autumn foliage, making it a popular choice in UK gardens.

This hardy plant typically grows to a height of 30-45 cm, forming a dense, mat-like ground cover. Its slender, wiry stems bear oval, mid-green leaves that turn a rich red or bronze in autumn, providing a striking contrast to its late-summer blooms. From August through to October, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides produces clusters of vivid cobalt-blue, five-petalled flowers, which resemble those of the plumbago plant, hence its common name.

This plant thrives in well-drained soil, preferring full sun to partial shade, although it can tolerate a range of soil types, including poorer, rocky conditions. It is relatively drought-tolerant once established, and its creeping habit makes it ideal for planting at the front of borders, in rock gardens, or as ground cover beneath shrubs. In milder regions of the UK, it may remain evergreen, though it typically dies back in colder areas, regrowing from its roots in spring.

This plant is low-maintenance and is also beneficial for pollinators, attracting bees and other insects with its nectar-rich blooms.

Overall, this plant is a versatile, attractive addition to gardens, offering months of interest with its late-season flowers and colourful foliage, especially when other plants have begun to fade for the winter.

Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Beach Ball' is an evergreen shrub that adds a touch of elegance to any garden or landscape. Native to New Zealand, this cultivar of Pittosporum tenuifolium is prized for its compact, rounded growth habit and striking foliage. Its botanical name, Pittosporum tenuifolium, refers to the narrow leaves that are characteristic of the species.

The 'Beach Ball' variety stands out with its dense, spherical form, which makes it an excellent choice for hedging, topiary, or as a focal point in garden beds. The glossy, deep green leaves are small and slender, creating a lush, dense canopy that retains its colour and shape throughout the year. These leaves provide an attractive contrast to other plants and bring a sense of vibrancy to any garden.

In spring, 'Beach Ball' produces small, inconspicuous purple-black flowers with a sweet, honey-like fragrance. While the flowers may not be the main feature of this cultivar, they are a delightful bonus that can attract pollinators like bees to your garden. Additionally, the plant's compact growth and rounded shape make it easy to maintain and trim as needed, ensuring it retains its spherical appearance.

This Pittosporum tenuifolium cultivar is known for its versatility. It thrives in a variety of soil types and is relatively low-maintenance once established. It can tolerate both full sun and partial shade, making it adaptable to different garden conditions. 'Beach Ball' is also suitable for coastal gardens, as it can withstand salt spray and windy conditions.

Whether used as a border plant, as part of a formal garden design, or simply as an attractive feature in your landscape, Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Beach Ball' is a versatile and visually appealing choice. Its lush green foliage, compact growth habit, and adaptability make it a favourite among gardeners looking to add a touch of sophistication and charm to their outdoor spaces.

Matteuccia struthiopteris, commonly known as the ostrich or shuttlecock fern, is a striking perennial fern native to temperate regions across the Northern Hemisphere. This plant is renowned for its large, graceful fronds that bear a resemblance to the elegant feathers of an ostrich or shuttlecock, hence the name. 

This fern typically grows in moist, well-drained soils and thrives in partial to full shade, making it an ideal plant for woodland gardens or shaded borders. It can reach a height of up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) and spreads through underground rhizomes, forming dense colonies over time. The plant's fronds are of two types: the sterile fronds, which are the showy, arching fronds that give the fern its name, and the fertile fronds, which are shorter, erect, and appear in the centre of the plant.

In spring, the young fronds, known as fiddleheads, emerge as tightly coiled spirals. These fiddleheads are not only a visual delight but are also edible. In some cultures, they are harvested and consumed as a delicacy, often compared to asparagus in flavour. However, care should be taken to properly identify and prepare them, as not all fern species are safe to eat.

Matteuccia struthiopteris is relatively low-maintenance once established. It is hardy and can withstand temperatures down to -20°C, making it suitable for various climates across the UK. Regular watering, especially during dry periods, and mulching to retain soil moisture are recommended to keep the plant thriving. Pruning is generally not necessary, though old fronds can be removed to maintain a tidy appearance.

Overall, this fern is a versatile and attractive plant that adds a lush, tropical feel to gardens. Its majestic fronds and adaptability make it a popular choice among gardeners and landscapers alike.

Lavandula × intermedia 'Phenomenal' is a highly esteemed variety of lavender renowned for its robustness and striking visual appeal. This hybrid, also known as Lavandin, is a cross between Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia. 'Phenomenal' is particularly celebrated for its exceptional tolerance to varying weather conditions, including humidity, heat, and cold, making it a versatile choice for gardens in diverse climates.

The plant is characterised by its vigorous growth and uniform, mounded shape, typically reaching a height and spread of approximately 60-90 cm (2-3 feet). It boasts silvery-green foliage that retains its colour throughout the year, providing year-round interest. The long, slender stems are topped with an abundance of fragrant, deep violet-blue flower spikes that bloom from mid-summer to early autumn. These flowers are not only visually stunning but also attract a plethora of pollinators, including bees and butterflies, enhancing the biodiversity of the garden.

One of the notable features of 'Phenomenal' is its strong resistance to common lavender ailments such as root and foliar diseases, which can plague other varieties. This resilience, coupled with its low maintenance requirements, makes it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. The plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, demonstrating drought tolerance once established.

In addition to its ornamental value, 'Phenomenal' lavender is highly prized for its aromatic properties. The flowers can be harvested and dried for use in a variety of applications, from potpourris and sachets to culinary dishes and essential oil production. The strong, pleasing fragrance of the plant adds a sensory delight to gardens and landscapes.

Overall, Lavandula × intermedia 'Phenomenal' is a versatile, hardy, and beautiful addition to any garden, offering both aesthetic and practical benefits with minimal effort.

The 'Kleim's Hardy' Gardenia, is a captivating evergreen shrub cherished for its hardiness and aromatic blooms. This particular variety is renowned for its ability to withstand cooler temperatures compared to other gardenias, making it a popular choice for gardeners in milder climates, including parts of the UK.

Reaching a compact height of approximately 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) and spreading about the same width, 'Kleim's Hardy' boasts a tidy, bushy growth habit. Its glossy, dark green leaves are a standout feature, providing year-round interest and a lush backdrop to its stunning flowers.

The blooms of 'Kleim's Hardy' are the true stars of the show. From late spring to early summer, the plant produces a profusion of single, star-shaped flowers, each with five to six petals. These pristine white blossoms, typically about 5-8 cm (2-3 inches) in diameter, exude a sweet, intoxicating fragrance that can perfume the entire garden. Unlike some other gardenia varieties, 'Kleim's Hardy' flowers are less prone to browning, maintaining their beauty longer.

This gardenia variety thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter. It prefers a position with partial shade, as full sun can sometimes scorch the leaves, while too much shade can reduce flowering. Regular watering is essential, particularly during dry spells, to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.

'Kleim's Hardy' is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning. Any pruning should be done after flowering to avoid cutting off next season's buds. Additionally, mulching around the base of the plant can help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

The Euphorbia characias 'Silver Swan' is a striking evergreen perennial, highly valued for its architectural form and distinctive variegated foliage. This cultivar of Euphorbia characias is notable for its attractive, silver-grey leaves edged with a creamy white margin, creating a striking contrast that brightens any garden space. The leaves are long, narrow, and lance-shaped, arranged in dense whorls along sturdy, upright stems that can reach up to 90 cm (3 feet) in height.

In the spring, 'Silver Swan' produces large, showy clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, known as cyathia, at the top of the stems. These blooms are surrounded by contrasting white bracts, enhancing their visual appeal. The flowering period typically lasts from early spring to early summer, providing a long season of interest.

'Silver Swan' is an easy-to-grow plant, thriving in well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. It is drought-tolerant once established, making it a suitable choice for xeriscaping and low-maintenance gardens. However, it is essential to ensure good drainage, as the plant does not tolerate waterlogged conditions. This Euphorbia is also relatively pest and disease-resistant, adding to its ease of cultivation.

One of the key attributes of 'Silver Swan' is its versatility in garden design. It can be used as a specimen plant, in mixed borders, or as part of a Mediterranean or gravel garden scheme. Its bold foliage and structural form make it an excellent choice for adding texture and contrast to planting compositions.

Care should be taken when handling this plant, as the milky sap it exudes can be an irritant to the skin and eyes. Wearing gloves and protective clothing is advisable when pruning or propagating. Despite this, Euphorbia characias 'Silver Swan' remains a popular choice among gardeners for its striking appearance and reliable performance.

Cyrtomium fortunei, commonly known as Fortune's holly fern, is a robust evergreen fern native to East Asia. This perennial plant is prized for its attractive, holly-like fronds that bring a touch of lush greenery to gardens and indoor spaces alike.

The fronds of Cyrtomium fortunei are its most distinctive feature, growing up to 60 cm in length. They are dark green, glossy, and pinnate with 10-20 pairs of leaflets that are sharply serrated, resembling holly leaves. The leaflets are arranged alternately along the central stem, creating a dense and bushy appearance. This fern thrives in shady or semi-shady conditions, making it ideal for woodland gardens, shaded borders, or as an understory plant beneath larger shrubs and trees.

Cyrtomium fortunei prefers moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. It is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning and feeding. Regular watering is necessary to keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. In colder climates, it can tolerate temperatures down to -10°C, though it benefits from a layer of mulch to protect the roots during harsh winters.

Propagation of Cyrtomium fortunei is typically achieved through division in spring or by sowing spores. Division involves separating the root ball into smaller sections, each with a portion of the rhizome and fronds, and replanting them in a suitable location. Spores can be collected from the undersides of mature fronds and sown in a controlled environment to produce new plants.

In addition to its ornamental value, Cyrtomium fortunei is also known for its resilience against pests and diseases, making it a reliable choice for gardeners. Its ability to thrive in low-light conditions and its evergreen nature ensure that it provides year-round interest, contributing to the texture and depth of planting schemes.