As fall color fades, or rather blows away, what is left in your landscape? The winter season needn’t be a barren visual void if you’ve selected plants for winter interest. Dwarf conifers top the list of winter interest stars in the landscape. Compact globes of dark green, soft blue and even chartreuse enliven the mostly straw browns of winter landscapes. Dwarf Serbian Spruce, Globe Blue Spruce and Bergman’s Spruce give a wide range of inspired green color. Bright Gold Chamacyparis is the chartreuse character we enjoy using in full sun to part shade settings. Color Guard Yucca keeps its mostly yellow foliage for a strong pop of color.
Most conifers can be planted into early November, with special attention given to winter watering and a preventive application of Wilt Pruf to reduce winter burning. Plan to take notes about the obvious voids in your landscape this winter and consider dwarf conifers as the solution for next season’s plantings.