The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

As I write this column, my garden is blanketed with a foot of snow and the trees and shrubs are flocked with the same. It is a beautiful sight and a welcome change from the normal scenery in our evergreen state, but a few days or maybe a week is enough for me to start longing for the surprises that are hidden underneath this fluffy white stuff. How can I write about winter interest when there is nothing to see but white everywhere?

Actually, sometimes having a blanket of snow on the ground enhances the beauty of plants. Take for example our native red twig dogwood. There is nothing more striking then the bright red twigs of this shrub against the white backdrop of snow. And while our native twig dogwood isn't a real looker the rest of the year, plant breeders have found variations that have much more horticultural interest. Mid Winter Fire (also known as Winter Flame) has twigs that start out yellow, modulate to orange/coral and finish at the tips in red. This is by far my favorite twig dogwood. But Arctic Fire with its dark red stems and Ivory Halo with its green and white variegated leaves in summer are also outstanding garden plants. Red twig dogwoods are a must for the winter garden.

Lots of trees and shrubs have interesting structure this time of year but one of my favorites resides in my back yard as a monument to bizarre and ghostly forms. That would be the Purple Splendor Weeping Beech, an extremely weeping form of the stately and rather large Beech tree of Winnie the Pooh fame. Purple Splendor has of course purple leaves in the summer rather than green. I planted mine about 15 years ago and it is now 25 feet tall and only 5-8 feet wide, perfect for a small tight space. As this tree grows the leader zigzags back and forth and one is never really sure which way it is going to go. It has been fun to watch it grow over the years, speculating which limb will form the next leader. Such activity is what horticulturists call fun so don't be alarmed. We are a harmless lot.

Under the category of "Blooming this Month" would be a couple of shrubs that are indispensible for the winter garden. Witch Hazel tops the list with yellow, orange or red spidery flowers depending on the variety. Plant them out of the spotlight where you will notice them in the winter and not the rest of the year. They will grow in sun or shade and sport nice fall color and are not difficult to establish. You can limb them up and keep them open and upright so they don't overpower a small space and then underplant them with more interesting perennials and small shrubs.

The other blooming shrub that I know I have pontificated on before is Sarcococca, both the species ruscifolia and confusa that grows 3-4 feet tall and humulis that grows 1 foot tall and spreads. Digyna is a new cultivar of humulis that has the largest and smelliest flowers of all of them. Sarcococca needs shade to be happy but other than that it is undemanding. The flowers are small but oh so powerful in the months of January and early February.

As for perennials, most are still dormant except for the evergreen ones like Bergenia and Heuchera and some Euphorbias. The real perennial action begins in February when early bulbs start blooming. Already I have crocus emerging and I can see the tips of my daffodils popping out of the ground. Snow drops and grape hyacinths are not far behind, along with Dutch iris. I am salivating just thinking about it. Planting bulbs in the fall can be a real chore but it is oh so worth it as we move into late winter and are dying for some spring color. It's a small investment in time with huge dividends. Remember this when this fall comes around and you are feeling lazy.

Finally, winter would not be complete without my birds. Today I saw three Varied Thrushes for the first time in my garden. I keep me feeders full with something called Waste Not which, as the name implies, is a complete bird seed mix with no filler and no annoying germinating seeds. The little birds love it and for the larger woodpeckers and jays I hang some suet cakes. Bird watching is cheap entertainment and an integral part of a gardener's world. There is nothing like the colorful antics of birds to help sweep away the winter blues.

You can reach me at Sunnyside Nursery at 425-334-2002 or online at info@sunnysidenursery.net