Winter-enhancing Plants to Boost Your Garden's Appearance
Winter-Flowering Plants Offer Ornamental Value and Wildlife Support
For those looking to add a touch of the unusual to their Christmas wreaths while also providing food and shelter for wildlife, there are several plants that fit the bill. These plants, which feature attractive seedheads or flowers that persist into winter, serve as vital sources of sustenance for birds and pollinators.
One such plant is Agastache, known for its late summer spikes and colored calyces. These flowers are a valuable nectar source for bees and hoverflies, while their seeds provide food for birds like goldfinches throughout autumn and winter. The bright, architectural flower spikes can add an unusual texture to wreaths.
Eryngium, or Sea Holly, is another great choice. Its summer flowers are visited by a wide range of pollinators, and the attractive, spiny seedheads are eaten by birds throughout winter. The silvery-blue seedheads offer a unique ornamental element for wreaths, providing valuable food for wildlife.
Miscanthus, an ornamental grass, is also a good option. Its clump-forming tussocks serve as overwintering shelter for beneficial insects such as ladybirds. The large seedheads furnish food for greenfinches and goldfinches in winter. The tall, feathery plumes can be added for texture and a natural winter feel in wreath-making.
These plants combine ornamental winter interest with ecological value, supporting pollinators and seed-eating birds while their seedheads and foliage provide shelter. Their dried flowers and seedheads make unusual, meaningful adornments for Christmas wreaths beyond traditional evergreens.
Gardening organizations like the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also emphasize year-round flowering native and cultivated plants that support pollinators throughout all seasons, including winter. Including plants with prolonged floral or seed interest maximizes food and shelter availability for wildlife during lean months.
Other winter-flowering plants worth mentioning include Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis, a species native to China, which has attractive seedheads and grows to a height of 2m. Its season of interest is October-January. Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford', a moisture-loving member of the daisy family, has large, glossy, kidney-shaped leaves with a dark purple reverse and deep orange flowers. It grows to a height of 90cm and is native to Burma, central and western China, and Japan. Its season of interest is late spring to early winter.
Calamagrostis brachytricha 'Mona', a grass with soft mauve-tinted flower heads in late August and September, grows to a height of 1.4m and is native to garden origin. Its hardiness is RHS H6, USDA 8a-10b. Its season of interest is late summer to autumn.
Lunaria annua, a species native to central and southern Europe, has a height of 60cm and grows in any fertile garden loam. Its season of interest is May to December.
Telekia speciosa, a species native to Central Europe, Russia, and the Caucasus, grows to a height of 1.5m-2m and prefers sun or shade, not too dry. Its season of interest is August-February.
Chasmanthium latifolium, also known as spangle grass, is a woodland grass native to the Southeast USA. Its growing conditions are sun or shade, and it has a height of approximately 1m.
The martagon lily (Lilium martagon) is another option, with upright stems carrying ascending whorls of flowers, each small and demure, in shades of plum, pink, and white. Its season of interest is June-December, and it grows to a height of 1 -1.25m x 40cm. Its growing conditions are sun, any soil.
In summary, Agastache, Eryngium, and Miscanthus are among the top choices for winter-flowering (or late seedhead) plants that serve wildlife and add unusual ornamental value to Christmas wreaths. Including these plants in your garden can provide food and shelter for wildlife while also adding a unique touch to your holiday decorations.
- The bright, architectural flower spikes of Agastache, along with the unique silver-blue seedheads of Eryngium and the tall, feathery plumes of Miscanthus, can offer an unusual texture and winter interest in wreath-making, providing both ornamental value and wildlife support throughout winter.
- Gardening organizations like the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) encourage the inclusion of year-round flowering native and cultivated plants, such as Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis, Ligularia 'Britt Marie Crawford', Calamagrostis brachytricha 'Mona', Lunaria annua, Telekia speciosa, Chasmanthium latifolium, and the martagon lily (Lilium martagon), as they maximize food and shelter availability for wildlife during lean months.
- For those interested in extending their landscape design or home-and-garden lifestyle beyond traditional evergreens, exploring various winter-flowering plants like Agastache, Eryngium, Mistuchus, and the previously mentioned options can offer both an unusual aesthetic appeal and ecological value, making for a more engaging gardening experience while providing support for wildlife populations.
