Winter traditionally means the end of your garden, but these are some plants that you can grow to bring color and life to the cold months.

Heather

This plant blooms all year and offers beautiful flowers in summer and fall. In winter the thick foliage makes an appealing contrast to the more delicate blooms of other winter plants.

Corkscrew Hazel

What make these such an attractive winter plant are the winding and twisted branches that add a pleasantly eerie touch to a winter landscape. The branches will require regular trimming to maintain their appealing look, failing in which they will look like an overgrown unkempt tangle of wood.

Holly

Holly has always been associated with winter. With 400 varieties to choose from that range from small bushes to huge trees of up to 80 feet, there is a type of holly for every garden and winter landscape. Its bright berries and thick foliage ensure that this is one plant that always catches the eye.

Winterberry

Winterberry is a cousin of holly but loses its leaves in the fall so in the winter you get bright red berries. These berries are also great for attracting birds. The seeds must be planted in the fall in a cold frame and should be transplanted to rich moist soil in the spring. This is a slow growing plant and germination can take 2 to 3 years.

Paperbark Maple

Paperbark Maple’s curls of copper colored bark peel off from all over and make a pleasing sight. The green leaves of summer turn into an eye catching cinnamon shade in the fall.

Camellia

This evergreen blooms from fall to early spring and its brightly colored rose like flowers offer a striking contrast to a dull winter landscape. The best place to plant them is in a place that gets some sun, but not too much of it and which is protected from strong winds.

Red Twig Dogwood

The plant’s striking red stems are not just attractive on their own, they make a great accent when combined with evergreens. The brightness of the plants color depends on the amount of sun it receives.

Firethorn

Firethorn is a hardy perennial that is an attractive sight all year round. The small pea like berries, which can be either orange or yellow in color, remain long after fall is over.

The Paper Birch Tree

The Paper Birch tree has stunning yellow leaves in autumn and when the weather turns really cold, its white bark offer a striking contrast to a backdrop of evergreens. It is often used as the focal point of Christmas displays.

Hellebore

Another winter plant that is available in a wide range of varieties is Hellebore. They come in a wide range of colors mean that you will be able to find one that compliments the rest of your winter garden.