Though gardens lack flowers and foliage in the winter months, gardeners can plan for winter interest by utilizing a plant’s under-appreciated qualities. While evergreen tree and shrubs can have dramatic silhouettes year round, the branching structure of deciduous trees and shrubs goes unnoticed for most of the year. Only during winter do their intricate and crisscrossing braches become prominent. The following lists some trees and shrubs with unique silhouettes which add to add character to the winter landscape.
Weeping
A Weeping European Birch’s (Betula pendula ) from creates a spectacular silhouette is year round. Its silver and white colored bark is also a noted feature.
The Weeping Cherry (Prunus sp. var. pendula) has an weeping branching structure and abundant showy pink or white flowers in the spring. An ideal specimen tree, the weeping cherry add a grace from to the garden. A graceful double flowered weeping cherry with highly ornamental rich red trunk bark. Open branching with narrow leaves result in a more transparent habit for wispy character. Flowers are medium sized, extremely double, with very dense petals in dark pink. New foliage may bear bronze tint.
European Beeches (Fagus sylvatica) are a dramatic weeping tree which can reach heights if 80’. There two varieties of this beech; the ‘Pendula’, a green-leaved cultivar, has interesting foliage in the fall when the leaves turn bright yellow while the ‘Purpurea Pendula’, a purple-leaved cultivar, has interesting foliage in the summer because the leaves are purple in hue.
Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) has long, graceful leaves and a pronounced weeping habit make this stately tree a unique specimen. This spectacular tree dominates the landscape with its large canopy and long, flowing branches that wave with the slightest breeze. Fast growing in any moist soil.
Unique Branching Structure
The Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (Corylus avellana Contorta) is a unique deciduous with interesting gnarled and twisted branches. This plant should be planted on its own where its silhouette can stand out against the snow during the winter months. The walking stick is also noted for its colorful yellow fall foliage and showy greenish-yellow catkins.
Upright Growth Habit
The River Birch (Betula nigra) grows upright with a pyramidal silhouette. With the attractive, peeling bark and lacey-branched silhouette, the river birch makes a striking addition to the winter landscape, particularly against a backdrop of dark green evergreens. Beautiful large tree for long range focal point or shading.
The Slender Hinoki False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’) is an excellent evergreen shrub for screens, hedges and accent plantings. Its pyramidal silhouette is narrow pyramidal with gracefully arching branches. Its small deep green needles, attractive in summer, turn a bronze color in winter. New growth has a red tinge.
Tiered Branching Structure
Japanese Maples are one of the most beautiful small trees for the garden. They’re ideally planted on their own as a specimen trees. Many cultivars of the Japanese maple are relatively small and are useful in smaller gardens. The colorful fall foliage lights up the garden and its silhouette of slender twigs and multi-tiered contorted branches provide winter interest.
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