There is something magical about bringing the garden indoors or giving a piece of your garden to friends and family — especially in the dark days of winter. Having some plants in your landscape that can provide ornament even in the winter is a comforting notion, and what better way to celebrate the season than by harvesting this unique bounty?
Here is a list of plants that provide a wonderful selection of textures, colors and fragrance for bouquets and wreaths in the winter months. They are also chosen because they perform well in the Northwest and adapt beautifully to a small, city garden.
Trim carefully to maintain the integrity of your plant in the landscape, and arrange the cuttings in vases or arrange on wreath forms to decorate indoors or out.
Trees (subhead)
Dwarf Evergreen magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’) — large, evergreen leaves, with soft, brown hairs on undersides and on young stems.
Golden Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan sugi’) — evergreen conifer with golden-yellow, new growth that contrasts with older, green growth.
Boxleaf azara (Azara microphylla) — Airy sprays of broadleaf evergreen foliage and vanilla-scented, small yellow flowers in the late winter /early spring.
Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) — Broadleaf evergreen with scented foliage; suitable for cooking with. Can be plucked from a wreath for use in the kitchen.
Lavelle hawthorn (Crataegus x lavalleei) —Deciduous branches, with clusters of brick-red-to-orange, persistent fruit.
Snow gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora niphophila) —Broadleaf evergreen plant with grey-green aromatic leaves. Great for drying, using in a dry bouquet.
Shore pine (Pinus contorta var. contorta) — Evergreen conifer with short needles in bundles of two. Makes a great wreath foundation and is good for sprays to anchor a bouquet.
Dwarf golden deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara ‘Snow Sprite’) — Dwarf evergreen conifer with white, new growth that turns cream-colored as it ages. Trim carefully as this is a slow-growing plant.
Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) — Evergreen conifer with graceful and fragrant boughs, great for wreath foundations or swags.
Shrubs (subhead)
Twig dogwood (Cornus ‘Flaviramea,’ ‘Midwinter Fire,’ ‘Sibirica’) — Intensely colorful, deciduous branches ranging from yellow to orange to deep red. In the case of ‘Midwinter Fire,’ the range is all on the same plant stem. Great for exuberant vase arrangements by themselves or mixed with other plants.
Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa and A. arbutifolia) — Deciduous shrub with persistent glossy black fruit. Full of antioxidants, this would be a great arrangement to use for a get-well gift.
Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’) — Deciduous shrub with intensely bright-purple fruits in tight clusters on the stem.
Pink snowberry (Symphoricarpus ‘Scarlet Pearl’) — Semi-deciduous shrub with blue-green leaves (if still present) and small clusters of pinkish-white fruit. Both stem and fruit tend to drape, so this plant is great for elegant vase arrangements with other upright evergreen stems.
Variegated Laurustinus (Viburnum tinus ‘Variegatum’) — Broadleaf evergreen with multiple shades of green edged with cream. Flowers develop fall through winter and can sometimes be forced to open in the winter. Makes a great addition to wreaths.
Variegated English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Aureovariegata’) — Broadleaf evergreen has small, curled leaves with yellow margins.
New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) —A New Zealand native with small broadleaf evergreen leaves. Provides delicate contrast to larger, coarser leaves and has aromatic qualities.
Sweet box (Sarcococca confusa and ruscifolia) — Glossy, broadleaf evergreen plant with small lance-shaped leaves and winter bloom. Flowers are intensely fragrant, though not showy. Great for vase arrangements; will scent an entire room.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) — Mediterranean evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves that are intensely aromatic and edible. Great for wreaths, sprays and vase arrangements. Late-winter bloom with tiny, bluish flowers.
Dwarf golden threadleaf cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera Aurea Nana’) —Evergreen conifer with lacy, drooping and freshly aromatic foliage. Great for wreaths, swags and vase arrangements.
Variegated Japanese holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’) —Broadleaf evergreen with holly-like leaf in striking color combinations of green, cream, pink, orange, yellow and white. A slow grower, so prune sparingly.
Wintercreeper (Euonymous fortunei ‘Emerald and Gold’ or ‘Emerald Gaiety’) — Broadleaf evergreen shrubs/groundcovers with variegated leaves. ‘Emerald and Gold’ has green-and-gold variegation, while ‘Emerald Gaiety’ has green-and-white variegation. Both often have pink thrown into the mix.
Salal (Gaultheria shallon) —Classic broadleaf evergreen used for vase displays as a background foil to other showier stems and flowers.
Variegated Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus ‘Variegata’) —Fine-textured broadleaf evergreen has green, marbled leaves with white margins.
Tall Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium) — Glossy, broadleaf evergreen with holly-like leaflet margins on compound leaves. The fragrant, yellow, winter blooms are very attractive to over-wintering Anna’s hummingbirds, so don’t cut them all for arrangements.
Harry Lauder’s walking stick (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) — Deciduous evergreen with contorted stems and graceful, drooping catkins throughout the winter. Makes a great architectural vase arrangement all alone.
Laura Matter is the manager of Seattle Tilth’s Natural Soil Building Program.