drab garden:(

asparagus1968

hi,

been in the garden this morning,mowed lawn and general tidy up.
gosh it looks drab!

any plants/ bushes i could buy now to either put in beds or pots that will get a bit of colour over winter please?

absolute novice at this as you can tell!

thanks

nikki_angel

Winter pansies will brighten up a dull place. They last well too.

Leif

Winter jasmine flowers over winter.
Gaultheriia procumbens has nice berries.
Cotoneaster has red berries that look nice over winter.

lostinrates

Dogwoods look amazing right now. Worth planting for next year, they will look good into the new year, then need chopping down FTP keep the colour bright and low next year.


Nerines might be just hanging on for some people (they would be in my last garden, I don't have any here...yet), I love their bright rude flash of pink.

Cyclamen. So easy, bright little things of joy.

Thinking into the new year, my favourites are japenese quince. I feel so excited when they flower.

Fwiw, I still have roses blooming, not a great show sure, but nice pops of colour in the grey days.

There is an awful lot which is interesting over winter, I recommend playing with the plant finder on the crocus website, seeing what you like, and then...probably buying it closer to home for less money.

asparagus1968

well,just back home, got some pansies, a gaultheria and some bulbs to put in for spring.
i looked for japanese quince, but none there (it was only B&Q )
will go to a local nursery over weekend i think.
got a nice new doormat too!!

thanks all

blossomhill_2

asparagus1968 wrote: »

(it was only B&Q )

I went to B&Q today and their plants were shocking! I asked the guy if they had wallflowers - he replied "have a look around"

For colour now try penstemons - see penstemon thread in Greenfingers for photos

Good move to go to an independent nursery - at least they invest in their customer service

I hope you get some good results

Robin food should also bring a flash of red to your winter garden

blossomhill_2

PS I agree with lir re Japanese quince - I have a lovely salmon pink one and am excited to have lots of 1 year old seedlings from it which will be going on our charity stall next week

lostinrates

blossomhill wrote: »

PS I agree with lir re Japanese quince - I have a lovely salmon pink one and am excited to have lots of 1 year old seedlings from it which will be going on our charity stall next week

Oh my, so envious!

I have four now......three of which are shades of pink, and one white.
I had one at another house, already in the garden and I don't know what it was and I would buy it again if I saw it.

asparagus1968

blossomhill wrote: »

PS I agree with lir re Japanese quince - I have a lovely salmon pink one and am excited to have lots of 1 year old seedlings from it which will be going on our charity stall next week

now that's interesting,like the sound of that!

asparagus1968

lostinrates wrote: »

Dogwoods look amazing right now. Worth planting for next year, they will look good into the new year, then need chopping down FTP keep the colour bright and low next year.


Nerines might be just hanging on for some people (they would be in my last garden, I don't have any here...yet), I love their bright rude flash of pink.

Cyclamen. So easy, bright little things of joy.

Thinking into the new year, my favourites are japenese quince. I feel so excited when they flower.

Fwiw, I still have roses blooming, not a great show sure, but nice pops of colour in the grey days.

There is an awful lot which is interesting over winter, I recommend playing with the plant finder on the crocus website, seeing what you like, and then...probably buying it closer to home for less money.

thanks for all that,going to keep a list in my purse for when i'm out and about,cheers

blossomhill_2

One more for winter colour - Schizostylis even in flower at Christmas

http://www.goldenirishlight.com/kaffir.html

lir - have you sown seed from your chaenomoles (quince) - quite successful if you leave the fruit to overwinter on the plant then sow in spring in pots, some even germinate inside the fruit