Color seems to disappear in winter months. The dull sky and the decreased sunlight causes most plants to turn dormant and lose their sheen or drop their leaves along with any remaining blooms. North Carolina isn’t immune to these changes. However, some plants defy the season, displaying brilliant colors in the winter months. Here are some plants with winter interest that will breathe new life into your landscape when everything else is dormant for the winter season.

Learn how you can brighten your landscape design for a yard that will look great year-round.

Plants with Winter Interest to Liven Up Your Landscape in Colder Months

Camellia Japonica

Often called the rose of winter, this hardy Japanese shrub flowers between early winter and spring. The flowers range in color between a stark white, bright pink, and a deeper rose color, that provide contrast to the evergreen leaves of the rest of the plant.

Japanese Camellia is not to be mistaken with other varieties, which bloom at different times of the year.

Hellebore

Another great addition to the year-round garden is hellebores. Blooming in late winter, these perennials stand up to nearly all of Raleigh, North Carolina’s winter conditions, even springing back from snowfall.

One of the biggest draws of this winter flower is the incredible variety available. Hellebores have been bred to in wide breadth of color choices including, purple, white, pink, and their natural green.

Evergreen Hollies

There’s a reason this plant is forever tied with the Christmas season. With its bright red berries and unmistakable leaves, few plants show better in winter months. The already gorgeous display of color contrast pops even more when covered with snow.

Hollies come in a variety of sizes, ranging from small shrubs to full-size trees, making it easy to find one to fit in with your current landscape. They’re also easy to maintain and can be used to attract wildlife.

Coral Bark Japanese Maple

Leaves and blossoms aren’t the only way a plant can stand out. When the Coral Bark Japanese Maple loses its leaves in the fall, it reveals striking coral red bark that stands out sharply among the pale green of winter grass and white snow.

Interested in adding interest to your yard to cure the winter blues? Redwood Land Design offers professional and careful landscape design and installation services around North Carolina’s Research Triangle. Contact our team for a consultation.