Simon Says: The Best Plant for Winter Colour
This latest lockdown is frustrating but we’re also seeing it as a fabulous opportunity to get out into the garden and to give our garden some winter colour. The best plant for this period is undoubtedly the Skimmia which is perfect for adding colour not just throughout winter, but all through the year! What variety you ask….
The beautiful ‘Skimmia Japonica Rubella’ has fabulous red buds and these can start flowering as early as September or October and they get progressively deeper red throughout the winter months. In spring these burst into fabulous, fragrant tiny pink white flowers, which contrast wonderfully with the evergreen variegated leaves. They’ll flower all the way to April, and are very good at attracting pollinators. Additionally, they can be planted in most conditions, but ideally in partial shade. They will start quite small around about 2’ x 2’ and will slowly mature over time.
‘Skimmia Japonica Perosa’ also has beautiful variegation in the leaves. This is a slightly smaller plant but again perfect in your garden for winter colour. Skimmia prefer it on the acidic side, so if you’ve got quite an alkaline garden then they are perfect for pots!
There is also the amazing ‘Skimmia Magic Marlow’ which start off white, and progressively turn into a deeper pink colour but again they have this beautiful variation in the leaves and will flower all through the winter and the summer. They are fabulous garden plants and in terms of longevity of colour they really are the best plants around.
If you are looking to attract nature into the garden then the ‘Skimmia Japonica Pabella’, is the perfect choice. It has stunning red berries which not only will give winter colour but will also bring wildlife into the garden who will feast on its berries!
If you have any questions, please contact us on the contact form or via our Facebook page and YouTube channel. You can watch our video here.