As the February sun begins to warm the soil, it triggers brave plants such as winter aconites to slowly uncoil from their dormancy and burst into life: yet there is still time to admire the vibrant and textural stems of many trees and shrubs in the garden.
Betula utilis var jacquemontii makes a fantastic small tree and can be grown as a single specimen or in a group as a multi-stemmed tree. As its leaves drop in the autumn its striking white bark is highlighted and it looks particularly effective on a clear day set against a deep blue sky. Plant with dark stemmed Cornus or Salix for a striking combination.
Eranthis hyemalis, the winter aconite, is one of the earliest plants to flower and its small, buttercup-like, dazzling yellow flowers will brighten up any planting combination in February. The flowers are borne above bright green, dissected foliage and this plant naturalises well in grassland or under trees or hedgerows. It looks most effective in large groups or drifts where its impact will amaze you.
Hellebores are a quintessentially early spring flowering plant whose buds slowly emerge and then open to produce wonderful saucer-shaped flowers in a range of colours, from pale creams and pinks to dark reds and purples. The flowers are characteristically pendent or ‘nodding’ and when they are upturned they have fantastic speckling inside the petals which makes each one unique.
Polystichum setiferum ‘Divislobum Group’ is an evergreen fern providing great textural interest through winter when its soft, finely divided fronds can be fully appreciated. Cut these back in the spring once the new ones begin to unfurl. Bulbils will often form along the middle of the fronds and if these fronds are pinned down into the soil they will begin to root. Polystichum is a tough plant that prefers moisture and partial shade.
Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill' is a brilliant winter-flowering semi-evergreen shrub bearing purple-pink flowers that open during milder spells of weather. They exude a wonderfully rich fragrance that permeates through the garden. This shrub should be planted near the house so you can fully appreciate its fragrance even during the depths of winter.
Willows provide fantastic winter stem colour if they are pruned hard annually. Salix myrsinifolia produces slender, branching, rich black stems that are covered in ‘down’, giving it a fine silvery or ghostly appearance. It looks best planted in a small group and should be pruned hard to within 1-2 buds of the previous season's growth in late March as the new buds emerge. Willows prefer moist soil, and an open sunny situation.
Viburnums are a great group of shrubs to use in the garden and several species are winter flowering. Viburnum x bodnantense 'Charles Lamont' is an upright, deciduous variety with small, tubular, bright pink flowers that open on the bare winter stems and exude a wonderfully rich fragrance that permeates the garden through winter.
Jasminum nudiflorum or winter jasmine, is a deciduous shrub with arching, slender stems that can be grown as a low shrub or against a wall or fence, where it will need support as it is not self-clinging. It bears bright yellow flowers along the stems during winter and is a useful shrub as it tolerates a wide variety of tough conditions.