If you think winter landscaping means drab colors and boring views, think again. As summer and fall colorful perennials and annuals fade out with the approach of cooler weather, there are still a lot of options for interesting and colorful plants that will help your home or place of business look great until next spring.
Visalia and the surrounding area is hardiness zone 9, so even new plants will do well as long as they have at least a few weeks to get established before frost temperatures hit. We’re rounded up a list of plants you can use this winter that will add color and interest and keep your home and garden looking great.
#1 Arborvitae
There are lots of varieties to choose from when it comes to arborvitaes, but we like the ones that have bright yellow coloring and naturally grow in shapes to give your landscape both color and interest. One called “Anna’s Magic Ball” grows as a small sphere with bright yellow coloring. Another called “Fluffy” (yes, that is it’s real name) is medium size, grows in a pyramid shape and has bright and cheerful look to it. Arborvitaes grow slowly, rarely need pruning, and do well in both full and partial sun.
#2 Inkberry holly
A dwarf evergreen plant, inkberry holly is a dense, ball-shaped plant with a glossy, deep green color that develops red tips later on in the winter. Since it grows in a nice rounded shape, it’s a great solution for lining pathways and creative winter container gardens. This evergreen prefers moist soil so is a good one for container gardening where you can control the amount of moisture it gets.
#3 Siberian Cypress
New, smaller versions of this plant on the market now are great for home and business landscapes. It’s tough but had a delicate appearance, keeps its bright green color all winter long, tolerates dry conditions and is great for adding interest as a ground cover edge or under trees and shrubs. It likes full or partial sun, and as a bonus, deer won’t snack on it!
#4 Winterberry (Ilex)
If you love birds and want lots of bright color in your yard, winterberry holly is perfect for you. Traditional versions can get very big, but dwarf varieties such as “Berry Poppins” are just the right size. Established bushes lose their leaves but maintain a heavy bright red berry display most of the winter. Birds love it, deer do not, so you can sit back and watch the show without worrying about damage to other plants. If you’re crafty, branches with dried leaves and berries are very popular for crafting wreaths and holiday arrangements. Winterberry holly needs to hav a male-pollinationg variety to produce the red berries. One you can use is called “Mr. Poppins.” One male plant can cross pollinate up to 5 female plants and it need to be placed within 50 feet of the plants for best results.
NOTE: These berries are not safe and can be toxic for pets or children if they eat them.
#5 Lemon Coral Sedum
If you’re looking for something unique, versatile and perfect for Visalia’s hardiness zone, why not try out the National Plant of the Year – Lemon Coral Sedum? Super bright chartreuse foliage looks spikey but is actually quite soft. It is great for landscaping, and outstanding in containers as it naturally drapes over the edge for a pretty look. It loves the sun, can tolerate dry soil, and is vigorous and drought tolerant.