Winter colour in your garden

I was recently invited by Edinburgh-based Interior Designer Emma Hoyle to be a guest writer in her Facebook Group – Stellar Interior Design Edinburgh (check out her page at
https://www.facebook.com/Stellarinteriordesignedinburgh/ ) As we were in the middle of some pretty dreary weather I decided to write some top tips for adding a splash of colour to the garden in Winter:

Winter is definitely here – the Summer flowers have gone, and even the bright Autumn colours are beginning to fade. That doesn’t mean the garden has to look bare and colourless for the next few months.

It’s easy to add Winter interest and instant pops of colour to even the smallest garden through window boxes and pots.

Solanum, Skimmia, Cyclamen and Ivy
Calluna, Cyclamen & Euphorbia

?Cyclamen and Winter pansies provide flower interest in shades of purple, pink and white. The cross-looking faces of the pansy flowers always bring a smile to my face!

?Solanum and Skimmia have brightly coloured berries, which also provide much needed food for birds. Skimmia varieties such as ‘Fragrans’ have the added bonus of clusters of heady fragranced flowers in Spring

?Combine these with bushy evergreen Calluna (heather) or grass-like Carex for added foliage interest.

?Plants with variegated foliage such as Ivy or Euonymus are useful additions in a shady spot – the trailing nature of the Ivy provides another dimension to the planting.

?To extend the season of interest further, try popping some bulbs into your pots to enjoy once the Winter-flowering perennials have finished. In my mind, you can’t beat snowdrops – that first sign of Spring! Or an array of multi-coloured tulips – from slender, long-stemmed single blooms to frothy-looking fringed varieties, there’s a tulip to suit every taste and garden.

So go on – spend a couple of hours in your garden this weekend and you’ll be reaping the benefits for months to come!