New England's Winter Wonderland: Lush Evergreens to Brighten Up Your Yard
As the temperatures drop and snowflakes start falling, many of us are eager to cozy up indoors. However, some plants, particularly shrubs and evergreens, can continue to thrive during the cold winter months.
For those who want to maintain a lush and vibrant landscape despite the harsh weather, here's a guide on the best winter shrubs and evergreens that will provide year-round interest and maybe even some blossoms.
1. **Dwarf Hydrangea (Bigleaf Hydrangea)**
These compact shrubs produce stunning blue or pink flowers in late spring and early summer but also offer beautiful white or green leaves during the winter season. They are relatively low-maintenance, tolerating a range of soil conditions, making them perfect for any garden.
2. **Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)**
If you're looking for something with berries to add some color to your landscape in the winter months, consider Winterberry Holly. Its vibrant red berries make it an attractive addition to any yard and can attract birds that feed on them during the colder times of the year.
3. **Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)**
This classic evergreen shrub is a timeless choice for landscaping in New England's climate. Boxwood has beautiful, small leaves throughout the growing season but remains relatively unassuming when it comes to its appearance. They also offer some form of interest during the winter due to their ability to tolerate frost and snow.
4. **Red Tip Photinia**
For those looking for a plant that provides year-round greenery in the winter months, consider Red Tip Photinia. The red-tipped leaves create an attractive contrast against darker colored foliage or branches, adding some visual appeal to any yard during this time of year.
5. **American Holly (Ilex opaca)**
The American Holly produces beautiful white flowers in the spring and has long-lasting green leaves that add a touch of elegance to your garden during winter. It also provides berries for birds and small animals that are common visitors to many New England backyards.
6. **Juniper (Juniperus spp.)**
This evergreen shrub is a favorite among landscape architects due to its versatility in form, texture, and color. Junipers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can range from small conical bushes with silvery-blue leaves to tall, sprawling branches covered in dense foliage.
7. **Yew (Taxus spp.)**
The yew shrub offers an array of options when it comes to size and form, providing year-round greenery during the colder months. It also provides attractive red berries that are highly sought after by gardeners looking for a low-maintenance plant with interesting features during winter.
8. **Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)**
These flowering shrubs thrive in acidic soil and are often used as a hedge or specimen tree. During the colder months, Rhododendrons offer beautiful red, pink, purple, or white foliage that provides a striking visual contrast to darker colored branches.
9. **Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)**
This deciduous shrub offers an array of color options in fall but remains relatively unassuming during the winter months. Burning Bush has long-lasting leaves that provide some form of interest during this time of year, especially when compared to bare tree branches.
10. **Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)**
This unique evergreen shrub produces a single flower stalk in late spring and early summer but offers beautiful green, leafy foliage throughout the growing season. Skunk Cabbage has a rich history in New England gardens, often used to provide shade or create interesting hedges.
The selection of winter shrubs and evergreens is extensive in New England, offering something for every garden style and level of maintenance.
As the temperatures drop and snowflakes start falling, many of us are eager to cozy up indoors. However, some plants, particularly shrubs and evergreens, can continue to thrive during the cold winter months.
For those who want to maintain a lush and vibrant landscape despite the harsh weather, here's a guide on the best winter shrubs and evergreens that will provide year-round interest and maybe even some blossoms.
1. **Dwarf Hydrangea (Bigleaf Hydrangea)**
These compact shrubs produce stunning blue or pink flowers in late spring and early summer but also offer beautiful white or green leaves during the winter season. They are relatively low-maintenance, tolerating a range of soil conditions, making them perfect for any garden.
2. **Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)**
If you're looking for something with berries to add some color to your landscape in the winter months, consider Winterberry Holly. Its vibrant red berries make it an attractive addition to any yard and can attract birds that feed on them during the colder times of the year.
3. **Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)**
This classic evergreen shrub is a timeless choice for landscaping in New England's climate. Boxwood has beautiful, small leaves throughout the growing season but remains relatively unassuming when it comes to its appearance. They also offer some form of interest during the winter due to their ability to tolerate frost and snow.
4. **Red Tip Photinia**
For those looking for a plant that provides year-round greenery in the winter months, consider Red Tip Photinia. The red-tipped leaves create an attractive contrast against darker colored foliage or branches, adding some visual appeal to any yard during this time of year.
5. **American Holly (Ilex opaca)**
The American Holly produces beautiful white flowers in the spring and has long-lasting green leaves that add a touch of elegance to your garden during winter. It also provides berries for birds and small animals that are common visitors to many New England backyards.
6. **Juniper (Juniperus spp.)**
This evergreen shrub is a favorite among landscape architects due to its versatility in form, texture, and color. Junipers come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can range from small conical bushes with silvery-blue leaves to tall, sprawling branches covered in dense foliage.
7. **Yew (Taxus spp.)**
The yew shrub offers an array of options when it comes to size and form, providing year-round greenery during the colder months. It also provides attractive red berries that are highly sought after by gardeners looking for a low-maintenance plant with interesting features during winter.
8. **Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.)**
These flowering shrubs thrive in acidic soil and are often used as a hedge or specimen tree. During the colder months, Rhododendrons offer beautiful red, pink, purple, or white foliage that provides a striking visual contrast to darker colored branches.
9. **Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)**
This deciduous shrub offers an array of color options in fall but remains relatively unassuming during the winter months. Burning Bush has long-lasting leaves that provide some form of interest during this time of year, especially when compared to bare tree branches.
10. **Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)**
This unique evergreen shrub produces a single flower stalk in late spring and early summer but offers beautiful green, leafy foliage throughout the growing season. Skunk Cabbage has a rich history in New England gardens, often used to provide shade or create interesting hedges.
The selection of winter shrubs and evergreens is extensive in New England, offering something for every garden style and level of maintenance.
i was thinking of getting some evergreens like boxwood or juniper to add some greenery during the winter months 
it would be so sick to have a lush landscape even when its freezing outside 
also, hydrangea is on my wish list because who doesn't love blue flowers 
i'm def gonna try out some of these shrubs and evergreens in my own garden soon! maybe i can even share some pics with my friends 
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF EVERGREENS LIKE BOXTWOOD OR JUNIPER, THEY CAN HELP TO REFLECT LIGHT DURING THE COLDEST MONTHS AND CREATE A SENSE OF CALM IN YOUR YARD. BUT ALSO, ADDING SOME WINTER-BLOOMING SHRUBS LIKE HYDRANGEA OR RHODODENDRON CAN PROVIDE A POP OF COLOR AND FRESHNESS TO YOUR GARDEN. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE RED TIP PHOTINIA AND WINTERBERRY HOLLY FOR THOSE COOL-LOOKING BERRIES!!! 
And don't even get me started on the whole "they provide year-round interest" thing, that's just a fancy way of saying they're still just sitting there looking boring in the cold weather 
. but, like, have you seen the dwarf hydrangeas? 
they're literally so underrated - i mean, who wouldn't want blue or pink flowers in the spring and pretty white leaves in the winter too?! 
. Let's not forget to prioritize our mental health too 
. It can get gloomy, but having some greenery in our yards can actually help boost our mood and energy levels 
. Plus, these shrubs are so low-maintenance, we can focus on ourselves instead of stressing about lawn care 
.
! like, who needs snow days when you can just have a beautiful yard to cozy up in? 
seriously though, these shrubs and evergreens are SO underrated - i mean, dwarf hydrangea is already gorgeous in the spring, but its white and green leaves are like, winter perfection 
. and can we talk about winterberry holly for a sec? those red berries are EVERYTHING 
. I'm totally getting some of these plants ASAP, it's time to level up my winter game 
I'm literally SOOOO excited for wintertime at my yard!!! 
I've been planning to get some new plants & I just saw this article about the best winter shrubs & evergreens in New England 
! & I'm also totes obsessed with Winterberry Holly 
it's so pretty & has berries, win-win! 
! As I was reading through the list, I realized how lucky we are to have so many beautiful plants that can thrive even during the cold months. I'm totally a fan of the Dwarf Hydrangea (Bigleaf Hydrangea) 
i'm totes adding dwarf hydrangea and boxwood to my garden stat 
it's about time we have some beauty in the dead of winter 
... i remember one winter when my neighbor's yard was basically just a mess, dead trees everywhere... but then she decided to go for a winter wonderland theme and now it's like a magical forest 
. Plus, what's wrong with having a bare tree branch or two? It's all about embracing the winter vibe, you know? 
Goals, am I right?! 
And can we talk about how cute the Winterberry Holly is with its vibrant red berries? 
#WinterWonderland #ShrubsAndEvergreens #GardenGoals #PlantLove
️ and can we talk about how low maintenance Dwarf Hydrangea is? it's like the ultimate chill plant 
i swear, i'd take a whole garden full of these over bare branches any day 
.
like u want somethin that's gonna look nice n stay put even w/ all the snow. & then theres winterberry holly w/ those gorgeous red berries 