Who said that winter is a dull and monotonous time of the year? Fortunately, there are enough plants in the California climate that delight with bright, cheerful shades all year round. In this article we will offer many ways to add bright colors to your garden during the Christmas weeks.
Leaves, bark and fruit trees occupy a prominent place in the garden palette. You can use their dramatic shades to make the winter garden even more expressive. Withering fruits and berries can add dynamics to the look of your garden, as well as attract birds to it.
Add red!
In the restrained color scheme of winter, red looks especially impressive. Therefore, plants with red bark, red flowers and red fruits serve as indispensable decorations of winter gardens.
In this case, the optimal choice for winter landscape maintenance in Bakersfield will be Swida sericea, or red willow dogwood. The perennial stems of this species have a captivating shade of red. Swida sericea will become a bright, noticeable note in the composition of any garden. With the same success, the plant is suitable for creating a spectacular hedge.
Absolute star of the winter garden: Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana, or beautyberry, is beautiful in any season: in spring it shines with light green foliage, in summer its branches are covered with numerous flowers, in autumn the leaves change color to bright red or gold. However, the finest hour of beautyberry comes in winter, when its bright purple berries ripen. The California climate is ideal for the plant: it is not afraid of drought, does not require maintenance and grows rapidly.
Beautyberry’s closest competitor is Ilex verticillata, or winterberry. Thanks to its piercing red berries, this species is one of the most popular landscape plants. Ilex verticillata shrubs grow well in moist soils and are resistant to diseases and insects.
Pay attention to coniferous trees
Evergreen coniferous trees have a stunning effect: on a sunny and warm winter day, they create the atmosphere of real summer. In California, thuja and cypress trees grow beautifully, but Cedrus deodara – Deodar Cedar looks especially impressive in winter. The exquisite shape of the shrub and the bright shade of its needles perfectly enliven the winter landscape. This species is particularly resistant to drought.
Another strong candidate is Gold Coast Juniper. This low-growing shrub with bright needles of sunny yellow bark is great for borders and effectively drowns out any weeds. In nature, this unpretentious juniper grows in mixed forests and on mountain slopes. It is also found in pastures, so deer are not a threat to it.
Landscape maintenance in Bakersfield: Let the birches shine
In summer, modest birches are almost invisible, but in winter their dazzling white trunks look exceptionally beautiful. We recommend using Betula papyrifera, the paper birch – this variety is ideally adapted to the California climate. The tree looks great both in bright sunlight and in cloudy weather. In order to fully realize the coloristic potential of the tree, we recommend placing it in the context of expanded color composition, including plants with red stems or green needles.
Another interesting option is Betula aleghaniensis, or yellow birch. Due to its height — these plants can reach a height of 80 feet — the yellow birch has even greater expressive capabilities. Finally, the Betula nigra, or river birch, deserves attention. The bark of the tree has a spectacular scaly texture, and the color of the bark covers a wide range from cream and orange shades to light red and black.
Winter landscape maintenance in Bakersfield: conclusion
In this short note, we have mentioned only a few of the most remarkable plants for the winter garden. Among the most spectacular winter plants, it is necessary to name such shrubs as Winter Camellia and Winter Jasmine.
