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6 Non-Evergreen Plants to Add Winter Interest to Your Garden

Writer's picture: Kat CervoniKat Cervoni

For folks with gardens, winter is the time of year when you're either grateful for the presence of evergreens and winter interest, or coming to the realization that your space is woefully short of them. From views out of windows, to entryway plantings these are a must for outdoor spaces of all sizes and styles. While evergreens provide year-round structure and color, here are 6 non-evergreen plants I love using to add extra oomph and winter interest to your garden.

hakonechloa grass gives beautiful non-evergreen winter interest in the garden.
Hakonechloa maintains it's structure throughout the winter, offering golden pompoms that rustle in the breeze.

Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass)

The beautiful pompom habit of Hakonechloa stays intact during the winter while the foliage dries out to a light golden hay color. In winter, this grass continues to provide movement in the garden and catches the light in a lovely way too. These are perfect for filling out a shady spot or container in your garden.

Calamagrostis "Karl Foerster" grass looks golden and upright in the garden even in winter.
Calamagrostis "Karl Foerster" in mid-winter. Image courtesy American Meadows.

Calamagrostis "Karl Foerster" (Feather Reed Grass)

Known for it's narrow, upright habit and dense seed heads, Calamagrostis "Karl Foerster" maintains it's look deep into the winter months. This tall ornamental grass continues giving vertical interest and movement through to March, when it should be cutback to make way for fresh growth. I love using these as a modern hedge or scattered throughout a naturalistic, meadow-style planting.

the dried flowers of hydrangea paniculata still look beautiful in winter.
The dried flowers of Hydrangea paniculata appear to float above their branches in winter.

Hydrangea paniculata (Panicle Hydrangea such as "Lime Light")

While the foliage of hydrangea paniculata drops by the end of the fall, the gorgeous blossoms that graced it's summer branches dry out to perfectly preserved panicles that hold on through the winter months. These look gorgeous nestled amidst other evergreen plants and the aforementioned hakonechloa.

the dried flowers of astilbe stand upright and look lovely in the winter garden.
The dried plumes of astilbe add a brown textural element to the winter garden.

I always leave the flowers of my astilbe intact to dry out even for the remaining summer and fall months as they have such a lovely, lacy look to them. And I encourage you to leave them through winter as well. Through snow, ice, and high winds, their seed heads hang on tight and stay upright providing a perfectly mocha mousse brown accent to the garden.

paper birch bark is bright white, adding lovely color to the winter garden.
Bright white paper birches look beautiful in freshly fallen snow. Image courtesy Visit PA.

Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch)

I love the look of birch bark year-round, but truly appreciate it in the winter months where it's bright white bark lights up the landscape. These also set their rusty-brown toned male catkins in winter offering a beautiful tasseled effect. These sun-loving native trees are fast-growing and extremely cold hardy.

fragrant, bright red flowers of hamamelis "Jelena" are gorgeous winter interest in the garden.
Hamamelis "Jelena" has bright red flowers that light up the winter garden. Image courtesy White Flower Farm.

For a burst of color in the winter garden, hybrid witch hazel blooms in late winter with delicate, fragrant flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or red. Low-maintenance and adaptable to sun or part shade, this large shrub/small tree brings beauty and fragrance when most plants are dormant.








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