10 award-winning (AGM) winter-flowering shrubs
Shrubs that flower in winter’s short, often grey days have a special charm. With colour, fragrance and structure, these resilient plants bring life to gardens even amid frost, snow and biting winds
Winter needn’t mean a dull garden. With the right selection, shrubs can provide flowers, scent and year-round interest when most other plants lie dormant. Among the most reliable are RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) winners – a mix of
Evergreen viburnums are indispensable for winter interest, and Viburnum tinus ‘Gwenllian’ is a favourite. Raised at Kew around 50 years ago, it is slightly less compact than Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ and doesn’t have the pure white flowers of Viburnum tinus ‘French White’. However, its deep pink
Valued for its combination of vibrant flowers and a powerful fragrance, Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ is a sure-fire winter winner. Raised at the Arnold Arboretum in Massachusetts, this unusual shrub delights with prolific, sweetly scented blooms in winter. In autumn, its foliage transforms into shades of red, orange and yellow, adding seasonal interest year-round. Height 12ft (4m), eventually. Hardiness rating H5.
Skimmias are often prized for their bright red berries, but Skimmia × confusa ‘Kew Green’ is a male form valued primarily for its flowers. Large conical clusters of fragrant, creamy white blooms appear over many weeks, set against aromatic evergreen foliage. Although it never produces berries itself, ‘Kew Green’ can pollinate female skimmias to help them fruit. Height 3ft (90cm). Hardiness rating H5.
An old favourite, Erica carnea f. alba ‘Springwood White’ is an outstanding white winter heather. Its trailing growth and long white flowers stand out against dark foliage, creating a prolific and colourful display that’s remarkably reliable. Like all forms of Erica carnea, it tolerates a range of soils and is ideal for any garden, including winter containers. Height 9in (23cm). Hardiness rating H6.
One of the finest fragrant flowering shrubs, Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ has an upright habit that suits small gardens. Red buds open to large white flowers, creating an impressive winter display against the usually evergreen foliage. Its scent is rich and almost intoxicating. In colder areas, it benefits from a sheltered position. Height 8ft (2.4m). Hardiness rating H4.
A deciduous shrub valued for its combination of colour and fragrance, Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ bears deep rose-red buds that open to white flowers tinged with pink. The blooms appear in clusters along bare branches and are usually so prolific that twigs can be cut for indoor display without spoiling the show in the garden. Remarkably, the flowers are also tolerant of frost. Height 10ft (3m). Hardiness rating H6.
This attractive, twiggy evergreen, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca, has blue-tinted, neatly divided leaves. It can flower almost any time of year, but late winter into spring is often its peak – especially when planted against a sunny wall. Clusters of rich yellow pea-flowers release a subtle daytime peachy fragrance, though they are scentless at night. A paler form, Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca ‘Citrina’, offers an alternative colour for the garden. Height 3ft (90cm). Hardiness rating H4.
The yellow flower clusters of Cornus mas have long been admired, but Cornus mas ‘Golden Glory’ takes them to new heights. Growing as a small tree or large shrub, it has a less spreading habit and produces profuse umbels of golden-yellow flowers in late winter, often even on young plants, before the leaves emerge. In autumn, glossy red fruits and reddish-purple foliage provide striking seasonal interest, giving the plant three distinct charms. Height 15ft (4.5m). Hardiness rating H6.
Chimonanthus praecox ‘Grandiflorus’ is a bushy, deciduous medium-sized shrub with shiny, lance-shaped leaves. In mid-to-late winter, when trained against a sunny wall, it produces waxy yellow flowers streaked with maroon at the centre, releasing a spicy fragrance stronger than many showier cultivars. Flowers may not appear for a couple of years, but the wait is well worth it. Height 13ft (4m). Hardiness rating H5.
A compact, upright evergreen shrub, Mahonia × media ‘Winter Sun’ has long, spiny, pinnate dark green leaves. In winter, its bright yellow fragrant flowers appear in densely clustered arching racemes, bringing colour and interest to the garden when most other shrubs are bare, followed by blue-black berries. Height 13ft (4m). Hardiness rating H5.
