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Let Winter Shine
With proper placement of these trees and shrubs your landscape can have as much dramatic shine in the winter as in any other season of the year. No matter where you live there are a few trees and shrubs that you can use to let your winter shine. For southern gardens (Zones 6 to 9) one tree we think of first is Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemea indica. This small tree (although the white Natchez gets bigger than most other Crape Myrtle. Mature height is around 25’ tall by 15’ wide. Depending on where you live will determine whether you can grow both single and multiple trunk varieties. In upper southern states like Tennessee, Kentucky or Virginia you will only see multiple trunk trees due to cold. If you are in these states and plant a single trunk it will most likely wind up a multiple trunk after the first bad winter occurred. As Crape Myrtle matures peeling bark increases and the bark becomes more and more beautiful. There are not many trees that will give you two great seasons of interest. At maturity the bark after a shedding appears like cinnamon colored velvet and is spectacular lit up as it shines for winter. For some of the more northern gardens (Zones 4 to 8) the use of River Birch Betula nigra. This tree has very attractive bark and is usually preferred to have 2-3 trunks, gets 40-60’ tall and 25’ wide. This is a great tree for wet or overly moist areas of the yard. River Birch also shines well at night with lighting. Other trees that shine for winter and the rest of the year are: If it’s shrubs you are looking for to get that winter shine check out some of these and see if they grow in your area: Red or Yellow Twig Dogwood Search out interesting barks and branching when planning your garden and then you can create your own winter shine. |
Let winter shine when it is thought that the landscape is in hibernation. There are a number of trees and shrubs that are dazzling with winter shine through dramatic bark, stems and branching. Some are real sculptures at night when lighted with professional landscape lighting.