GETTING THROUGH THE NORTHWEST WINTER 

January in the Northwest can be depressing as hell.  This of course is not news to anyone who has lived here for more than a year.  But what may be news is that just because the weather sucks doesn’t mean that your garden has to look like a nuclear waste zone.  Furthermore, it doesn’t have to smell like an old soggy sponge.  The solution to this dilemma is simply to interject into your yard some winter interest plants that can offer colorful blooms and even some fragrance.  There are a surprising number of plants that fall into this category. 

Winter blooming plants seems like a strange concept to me.  I have never quite figured out why Mother Nature has created plants that bloom in the dead of winter but I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.  The plants don’t seem to mind the distinct lack of sunshine or even an occasional shrouding of snow.  In fact, freezing temperatures don’t deter most of them from blooming their little heads off.  Pansies are a classic example of a hardy perennial that can freeze rock hard and then thaw out and pick up right where it left off.  Primroses can follow this same pattern once they are established in the garden.

When most of us think about winter blooming plants pansies and primroses immediately come to mind.  But there are some shrubs and trees that bloom in the off season that are much more permanent then pansies and primroses and can add structure to the garden as well.  Here are three of my all time favorites that are easy to grow and sure to lift your spirits this month.

Number one on my list is Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’—I have had this plant on the north side of my house where it never sees a lick of direct sun and it has thrived for over 15 years.  It just so happens that my specimen has a single trunk and forms a small tree about 12-15 tall but you can also grow it as a shrub that gets 6-8 feet tall.  What is amazing about this plant is that it is currently in full bloom with extremely fragrant pink flowers and will continue to bloom for another month or so.  In fact, I often see blooms on it as early as November.  ‘Dawn’ will grow in full sun to full shade and will tolerate lousy soils to rich ones.  The foliage is heavily textured and has the curious trait of smelling like bell peppers if you happen to rub the leaves (although I can’t think of any reason why someone would want to do that but it is still great trivia to know).  Finally, ‘Dawn’ also has fabulous fall color.  It is truly a plant for all seasons.

Number two is the Witch Hazels.  Botanically know as Hamamelis, these hybrids have very interesting looking flowers that are spidery in nature and come in colors ranging from light yellow to orange to rusty red.  And they are also fragrant like the previously mentioned Viburnum ‘Dawn’.  They make a fairly large shrub that can reach 12-15 feet tall and have a vase shape when mature.  Again, full sun or full shade seems to work just fine and they are not fussy about the soil.  While the summertime foliage isn’t anything to write home about, the fall color can be spell binding, being bright yellow on the yellow flowering forms and more multicolored on the orange to red forms.  If you are tight on space you can try growing a Witch Hazel against a wall.  Otherwise put it somewhere where it can have a little space to spread out.

Number three is an evergreen shrub called Sweet Box or Sarcococca.  It comes in two basic forms, one that only grows 12 inches tall and spreads slowly to form a very tidy ground cover, and another that reaches 3-4 feet tall (and does not spread).  Both have clean shiny foliage and extremely fragrant flowers (though the flowers themselves are mostly inconspicuous).  Sweet Box must be planted where it receives either full shade or no more than morning sun.  Other than requiring some shade, it is not demanding at all.

So there you have it; three very good ways to lift yourself out of the winter gloom and give you a glimmer of hope of a spring soon to arrive.  Don’t let yourself wallow in depression any longer.  Hotfoot it down to the garden center this weekend and see for yourself that Mother Nature does indeed have a winter surprise for us. 

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, a retail garden center that is currently celebrating its 60^th year in business.   For more information go to their website at www.sunnysidenursery.net