View full sizeAbies koreana 'Horstmann's Silberlocke' (Korean fir)A garden integrating pale plants -- those with white bark, white-splattered foliage, white flowers or white berries -- works well in the gray of a Northwest winter day. White pops out close-up in smaller plants (perennials, shrubs) and, in larger plants, from a distance.
Consider using some white near the entry, or creating a white winter view to be seen from a window.
Selected plants for winter magic:
WHITE FOLIAGE
Abies koreana 'Horstmann's Silberlocke' (Korean fir):
Broad, upright evergreen growing to about 15 feet. Needles on the branches curl up around stems, exposing the white undersides of the needles for a year-round frosted look.
Azara microphylla 'Variegata':
Evergreen shrub/tree with drooping branches bearing tiny round green leaves edged with white. Tiny scented creamy-white flowers last from midwinter to spring. 30 feet tall by 12 feet wide. Sun to part shade, regular water. Zone 8.
Euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen'Euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen':
Evergreen upright shrub with white-margined dark green leaves. 8 feet tall by 5 feet wide. Full sun, regular water. Zone 5
Helleborus argutifolius 'Janet Starnes' (variegated hellebore):
Evergreen perennial with shiny palmate leaves marbled green and white, pale green flowers winter into spring. 2 feet tall and wide. Part shade to shade, moderate water. Zone 7.
Iris foetidissima 'Variegata' (variegated gladwyn iris):
Clumping evergreen perennial with green-and-white striped leaves. In fall, seedpods split to show ornamental orange-red seeds. 1-3 feet tall. Sun to shade, moderate water. Zone 7. Also:
Iris japonica
'Aphrodite,' evergreen, green-and-white striped leaves. 11/2 feet tall. Sun to part shade, moderate water. Zone 7.
Tsuga canadensis 'Gentsch's White' (variegated Canada hemlock):
Conifer with white-tipped mid-green leaves. 4 by 4 feet. Sun to part shade, regular water. Zone 4
Yucca filamentosa 'Variegata' (variegated Adam's needle):
Clump-forming evergreen shrub with white-margined, blue-green lance-shaped leaves, tinged pink in winter. 30 inches tall by 5 feet wide. Full sun, moderate water. Zone 5
WHITE FLOWERS
Camellia grijsii:
Evergreen shrub with single, small flowers, sometimes scented. 3-10 feet tall by 2-6 feet wide. Part shade, regular water. Zone 8
Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka'Camellia sasanqua 'Setsugekka':
Upright evergreen shrub with large, fragrant semidouble flowers in December-January. 20 feet tall by 10 feet wide. Part shade to sun (when established), regular water. Zone 7.
Daphne odora f. alba (white winter daphne):
Evergreen shrub with clusters of very fragrant white flowers from midwinter to early spring. 4 feet by 4 feet. Needs shade around midday, moderate water. Zone 7
Erica carnea 'Springwood White' (winter heath):
Trailing evergreen subshrub with bright green foliage, masses of white flowers winter to midspring. 8-10 inches tall by 1 foot wide. Sun, moderate water. Zone 5.
Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' (silk-tassel bush):
Upright evergreen shrub, Western native, with long greenish-white catkins midwinter through early spring. 12 feet by 12 feet. Sun to part shade, moderate water. Zone 8.
Helleborus niger (Christmas rose):
Evergreen perennial with dark green leaves, cup-shaped 2-inch-wide flowers. 1 foot tall by 11/2 feet wide. Part shade to full shade, regular water. Zone 4.
WHITE BERRIES
Sorbus prattii (mountain ash):
deciduous pinnate-leaved tree; green berries ripen to white, hold on in winter. 20 by 20 feet. Full sun to part shade, moderate water. Zone 6.
View full sizeBetula utilis var. jacquemontii (white-barked Himalayan birch)WHITE BARK
Acer davidii ssp. grosseri (Pere David's maple):
Deciduous tree with boldly streaked white-and-green bark. 20-30 feet tall and wide. Sun, regular water. Zone 5
Acer pensylvanicum (striped maple):
Deciduous tree with green-and-white striped bark. 40 feet tall by 30 feet wide. Sun to part shade, regular water. Zone 3.
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (white-barked Himalayan birch):
Deciduous tree with white bark. 60 feet tall by 30 feet wide. Sun or part shade, regular water. Zone 5.
Lagerstroemia 'Lipan' (crape myrtle):
Deciduous shrub/tree with summer lavender flowers and mottled silver, gray and white bark. 15 by 15 feet. Full sun, regular water. Zone 7.
BONUS: FRAGRANCE
Some white-flowering
, while not as showy, provide a wonderful winter surprise: fragrance. Think
Sarcococca
,
Lonicera standishii
,
Daphne bholua
and
Osmanthus
.
-- Homes & Gardens staff
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