> What winter colors do you want more or less of

Definitely, less white. I'll even settle for more brown at this point.

The most outstanding plant this month has got to be Arnold Promise witch hazel. It's just next to the house, where the light from the afternoon sun streams through into the living room - that yellow, which might be jarring in summer, cheers me up every day for weeks on end.

I've also been really happy with the way Lavender 'Grosso' has stood up over the winter. The foliage is a great color and it seems much more evergreen (ever silver) than any of my other lavs.

This has also been a good winter to notice how some winter-flowering plants bounce back after a cold spell while others give up on blooming and just sulk. The winter jasmine (J. nudiflorum) had just begun flowering a few weeks ago, and only a few buds are open now; the flowers that were open are just gone. There are 2 new hardy camellias out there and I'm afraid to see what's become of them; one was in bud when I planted it in December, and that can't be too happy.

This weekend should be warm enough to at least do some more clean up outside. Can't wait!

Winter gardenscapes are always at the fore front of my garden plans, except for the area around the kidds playset, which is reserved for hydrangeas.

This winter was especially white and bright, but these conditions reflecting the winter sun make any foliage further reflects these rays an added attraction. Beech trees are good at this. Beech is decidous, but the leaf drop is not complete, and beige leaves remain on a good portion of the canopy. In the bright winter sun, beech leaves are almost have a matte finish and are quite attractive. As the snow melts, the beech leaves fade from prominance back into dull browns and grey of winter.

Another great leaf is that of girards rainbow leucothoue. This plant always seems to have a healthy spring like glow about it, which is only dulled down by winter with sub-zero temps.

This spring, nandina's are going in, which hopefully will be providing more reds in the winter.

isabella,
Interesting that you mention Beech trees, I have always thought this tree has been under used as a wonderful fast growing tree for screening that has dense branching and holds on to it's leaves late into the season. I have not taken notice of the leaves that are still hanging on as my beech is not in a location I can view from my house I will have to take a gander today. I do vaguely recall an arborist mentioning girdling as a problem if not planted properly.

Dtd,
I lost the first witch hazel I planted this fall but am now on a mission to plant one or possibly two to help ward off cabin fever. âÂÂArnold Promiseâ seems to be the standard is there a second you would recommend for viewing from a distance or is this not a shrub for distance viewing?

Also I planted Lavender âÂÂGrossoâ this past spring but mine looks horrible what is your secret?

THE best deciduous tree in my winter landscape is Stewartia sinensis.
Fantastic angled branch structure, camouflaged bark and pointy buds makes this small tree a major point of attraction in a winter. When it got lit by a winter sun it's absolutely fantastic!
Being on a smaller scale vs S.pseudocamellia this tree could be (and should be) utililized in almost every landscape, small or large.
Go for it!

The plants that stand out in my winter landscape are pretty much all trees, as most shrubs have been pretty invisible under the deep snows of the past several winters. I like evergreens with varied textures & shades of green - hemlocks, spruce, arborvitae, white pine, and some of the largest rhodies. I like crabapples, which provide color and movement in the form of the birds that come to eat the frost-softened fruit. Many shrubs and trees with colorful bark either aren't hardy here or aren't tall enough to stand out above the snow, but sycamore (which I don't have, but pass one daily), beech, cherry, and yellow, black, & paper birch all have really nice bark, mostly a combination of color and texture. Like Isabella, I like beech and some oaks that hang onto leaves almost until new leaves emerge. Their sound, bright tan color, and movement all dress up the winter landscape. My favorite plant is a pagoda dogwood that grows out in a field, surrounded by white. The silhouette and shadows of the branches moving across the snow over the course of the day is just lovely. I'd love to have more colors - reds, purples, etc., but I haven't found plants that will grow tall enough here to have good winter impact.

I have several S. pseudocamellia, and I agree that Stewartia is a great tree. Mine are still small, so I don't have much bark to speak of, but they do have an interesting branching habit and nice buds.

Another thing I've really enjoyed this winter is moss. Katy, how does your moss garden look in winter? I love the way the moss between bricks glows when the paving is damp.

As for witch hazel varieties, I just cut down a 'Jelena', which was suckering from the rootstock, and I didn't much like the color, bronze. I still have a 'Diane' that's a lovely red - my favorite, hands down - but those are the only 3 I've tried.

dtd,
I like H. Diane I am going to keep my eye out for a larger plant perhaps at Haskells or Avant Gardens, hmmm Iam feeling the need for an early spring road trip, anyone else?
My moss garden is very happy and healthy it is at its best during the fall, winter, and spring. Some varieties change to different shades of green during winter which in my opinion ads overall interest. I am increasing the garden by one third and will be doing this in the beginning of April during a time when little else is happening in my landscape. I suppose while I am weeding this year I will regret enlarging this prima dona but for now it is all about the design.

>I planted Lavender 'Grosso' this past spring but mine looks horrible what is your secret?

I guess my secret was that there was a lot of snow. Now that it's gone, Grosso looks pretty pathetic; the lower leaves are brown and the plants seem to have collapsed.

Maybe my second secret is low expectations, lol ... but a short hedge of about 10 lavenders, with a buff-colored bunny grass in the corner, and with the snow beneath it all made a really nice combination, for about 4 months.