Re: Cornus

There are several cornus with red stems.  One is Cornus sericea which is the
Redosier Dogwood.  This used to be Cornus stolonifera.  As Michael Dirr
says, it is "very handsome and eye appealing in a winter setting especially
with a sprinkling of snow to set off the stem color."  There is also a
variegated variety that is stunning in both the summer and the winter.

There is also Cornus 'Flaviramea' that has yellow stems.  This is more
disease prone, however, and more difficult to incorporate successfully into
the landscape.

As far as perennials go, what about Hellebores for winter color?  They bloom
in colors ranging from white, to pink, to chartreuse, to red and there may
even be a yellow one now.  They take full shade in the summer and bloom in
the snow.  They are easy to grow, but do like to be fed regularly.  If they
are happy, they will colonize freely, reseeding themselves.

Then, there is winter aconite.  If happy it can become a real thug.  I am
constantly digging it out, simply because it is overtaking one of my
perennial beds.

It is simply stunning blooming through the snow and is always a reminder
that spring is just around the corner.  Another bloomer, though not a
perennial, are the witch hazels.  Yellow and red flowers adorn these shrubs
from mid-winter until spring.

There is a book out called "The Garden in Winter" by Rosemary Verey.  In it
she discusses bark, berries, garden structure and early flowers.  It's a
great book to help beat the winter doldrums.

Good luck.

Ginny (zone 6)
vhw95@fast.net


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