Plants in Bloom

From "Ask the Experts" column in Olbrich Garden News, Winter 2007-08

Question: 

Is there anything interesting to see in the Gardens during winter?

Answer:

Granted, what you see in the Garden during winter may not be as showy as the colorful flowers and foliage of spring and summer, but it can be just as beautiful. Many plants at Olbrich have been chosen specifically because of the qualities they exhibit during the winter.

The winter landscape often becomes dominated by woody plants. Evergreens come to mind first when considering visual interest in winter. The branches of evergreens not only provide green foliage in an otherwise bleak landscape, but they also catch and display falling snow in artistic ways.

The golden mop Sawara falsecypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop') is an evergreen notable for its bright, golden foliage color. Look for Sawara falsecypress in Olbrich's Perennial Garden. The branches of ornamental crabapples display red, orange, or yellow fruits that can ornament trees throughout the winter.

Check out the fiery orange and red branches of coral bark willow ( Salix alba 'Britzensis'). They look almost artificial as they pop out against the white snow-covered winter landscape! Stop by Olbrich's Perennial Garden and see a number of beautiful specimens scattered throughout the garden.

Ornamental grasses look stunning in the winter landscape and provide motion and sound that help offset the rigid stillness of winter. The seed heads of grasses and other perennials, such as hibiscus and purple coneflower, provide further winter interest, not to mention food sources for songbirds. The bright red stems of redosier dogwood can create dramatic winter scenes.

The bark of some woody plants is best revealed in the leafless months of winter. The seven-sons flower (Heptacodium miconioides) exhibits unusual peeling bark that shows off an attracitve, darker, inner bark. The seven-sons flower can be found in Olbrich's Perennial Garden, Rose Garden, or Sunken Garden.

We invite you to come out and see the vibrant winter landscape at Olbrich!

Phillip Stutz, Horticulturist