Three Plants that Offer Winter Interest

Many gardeners think about flowers and green leaves when planning their garden. But in many northern climates, it's worth thinking about how your garden will look in the winter. Here are three plants that will give you something to look at in January.

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
Harry Lauder's walking stick (Corylus avellana) looks best after its leaves have fallen off. This plant has gnarled branches that look great against the snow. The branches have an unusual corkscrew shape that allows Harry Lauder's walking stick to stand out as a specimen plant.

Harry Lauder's walking stick grows to be about 8 to 10 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet across. Because the shrub is grafted, suckers that need to be pruned may appear. Grow Harry Lauder's walking stick in full sun to part shade, in well-drained soil. The plant does best in zones 4-8.

Red Osier Dogwood
A native of the United States, red osier dogwood (Cornus serica) has red branches that contrast well against the snow when leafless. The plant produces large blooms in the summer but is typically planted for winter interest.

Red osier dogwood is hardy to zone 3 and grows throughout the northern United States and in Canada. It is more deer-resistant than some other types of ornamental shrubs. Several varieties of red osier dogwood are available.

Northern Sea Oats
I leave the Northern sea oats (chasmanthium latafolium) that grows in my front yard standing all winter, cutting the plants down to the ground in the spring. This grass typically reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet, making it useful as a perennial in my garden. In the winter, the heads of large, flat seeds are an attractive feature and rustle in the wind.

Northern sea oats does well in both full sun and part shade in my garden. It grows best in zones 5 to 9. Northern sea oats does have one characteristic that some gardeners may find difficult: it grows readily from seed. Thus, gardeners who like neat, well-spaced clumps of grass may dislike how it spreads. I, however, don't mind a little bit of naturalism in my front yard and find that planting seeds I collect from plants in the fall is an easy way to propagate northern sea oats.