Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Sparkling Arrow’
A
garden never reaches its full potential until there is interest in all four seasons—including winter. The stars of the winter garden are found in the bold bark, the brave berries and the clever conifers. After the beautiful autumn symphony of the deciduous trees, many gardeners hang up their trowels and secateurs for the year, cozy up with a hot chocolate or cup of tea and read their gardening magazines while
dreaming about spring. Admittedly, I used to be one of those gardeners. My affair with the winter garden started with my love for Japanese maples and their graceful silhouettes standing in the snow like soldiers, some small, some tall, some weeping, some wide. There was a starkness to the garden. Something was missing. As I looked around the neighbourhood, I started to pay closer attention to the conifers. They were not
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just boring and uninteresting. They had form, style, substance and, most importantly, they had colour in the middle of winter. The next spring, I decided to give the maples some winter interest companions. I added several conifers and not only did they provide texture and form from spring to fall, but they added interest, wildlife refuge and companion planting for the deciduous trees I held in such high regard.
WINTER 2021
PHOTOS: PAUL GELLATLY
GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS
