Winter colour feast

Both the gold foliage of the Thuja occidentalis and the red stems of the Cornus are enhanced by their association. Late winter really is the time when coloured bark and evergreens show their worth. Many evergreens change their colouring in the winter, so it is important to find out what their effect will be at different times of the year before making a choice. I’m increasingly impressed by the value of evergreens in the garden, particularly when our winter (off-) season lasts four months! The change in foliage colour makes them even more attractive as features in small gardens, where they can associate differently in different seasons with a variety of other shrubs and perennials.