Winter joys
*In the featured image: Hepatica transsilvanica ‘Winterfreude’ (in translation “winterjoy”)
December sneaked in with a few flurries but usually a reliable snow cover will settle in only later in the month or in January (hopefully). It is particularly around this time that gardeners start to appreciate more the perennials and shrubs that retain their foliage (leaving aside the true evergreens).
I always use the snowless periods to count my ‘winter joys’ and thinking about adding more such plants in the garden. Unfortunately, quite a few species, even if full hardy, don’t handle well the winter desiccation in a 5-6 zone. The most common broadleaf shrubs we can use are: Buxus, Daphne, Ilex, Mahonia, Gaultheria, Arctostaphylos and Rhododendrons/Azaleas (only some species here in ON).
But I haven’t seen Paxistima canbyi, Canby’s mountain lover or cliff green, in many gardens. Always willing to give a try to something new I acquired one a few years ago. It was planted on a part shaded slope exposed to winter sun and wind; snow cover sometimes minimal because of a nearby spruce. It defied all expectations! I already shared with a few friends (stolons; cuttings should also work well) and I highly recommend it for cold regions, zone 5-6.
Paxistima canbyi, Canby’s mountain lover. It can be found growing wild in a few localities of central Appalachian Mts. (US) on limestone bluffs and cliffs and is said to be threatened/endangered. A low growing small shrub, with narrow, glossy leaves; the flowers are tiny, insignificant. Named after William Marriot Canby, businessman, plant collector and amateur botanist from Delaware who discovered it in the wild.
Another underused evergreen shrub which does well in cold regions is Erica carnea – winter heath, with its many varieties.
Low growing shrubs with needle like leaves and small urn-shaped flowers, usually pink or white. They grow well with good drainage, in sandy soils, in sun to part shade. Most also flower very early in the spring when not much else is available for early pollinators.
Erica carnea ‘Rosalie’ in December
Bulbs speaking, everyone should have an Arum in the garden (aka Lords-and-Ladies). They are truly wonders of the season with the way they start growing in the fall and how their foliage is bouncing back after being frozen.
Arum italicum ‘Marmoratum’ is the most common form available to purchase, but you can also procure or grow from seeds various other forms with patterned leaves. They are all beautiful. The second image is one grown from seeds as ‘Chameleon’, and there is another form nearby which I’ll have to separate.
I would be interested to hear about other broadleaf small shrubs capable to withstand zone 5-6 winters.
Next, about other “winter joys”; we can have relatively green gardens even in the winter!
*The shipping of moist packed seeds has been suspended.
Caulophyllum thalictroides seeds will be available again in late spring.
