Now that we’re into January, a relatively cold a dark month weather-wise, here are eleven flowering shrub favourites that can really bring a welcome splash of colour and life to your garden. You won’t want to miss these:
1. Acacia Baileyana
Acacia Baileyana, also known as Cootamundra Wattle, is an evergreen shrub that flowers through January and February giving a gorgeous display of green/grey and silver fern-like leaves as well as small bright yellow globose flowers. Its love of warm but sheltered places, such as potted and placed the conservatory,means that it can be enjoyed fully close-up, adding a welcome dash of colour in these colder months.
2. Camellia Ruby Wedding
For striking, bright ruby red flowers from November to April, Camellia Ruby Wedding is an obvious choice. The double flowers set against the dense backdrop of dark green, glossy leaves on this evergreen shrub make it favourite in the winter months. This flowering beauty prefers moist, well-drained soil and a shaded area of the garden, out of way of strong winds and morning sun.
3. Daphne Odora Aureomarginata / Fragrant Daphne
If you’d like to see the darker months of February and March brightened by lovely clusters of pale pink and purple scented open flowers, look no further than Daphne Odora Aureomarginata, commonly known as Fragrant Daphne. This evergreen shrub loves sunny, partially shaded locations with well-drained soil, and is often planted at the edge of a border or flower bed, and in containers. Fragrant Daphne could bring a lovely splash of colour to your garden.
4. Forsythia X Intermedia
Think of blankets of golden yellow flowers on tall stems, sitting in a sunny location and bringing a joyous flourish to your garden, and you must be thinking of thinking of Forsythia X Intermedia, also just known as just Forsythia. This bushy, deciduous shrub has an ease of growth and growing qualities for the UK that makes it a great plant for gardeners of all abilities and is sure to deliver on colour.
5. Parrotia Persica
As its name suggests, Parrotia Persica or Persian Ironwood brings striking yellow, red, and purple colours to its flowering months of January and February. This shrub (a small deciduous tree) may be native to Iran’s Caspian region and Iranian Azerbaijan but Its height and striking appearance can bring architectural interest as well as colour to your UK garden. Don’t worry, it’s easy to grow, suits all abilities, and it loves the sunny, but partially shaded areas of your garden where there are moist well drained soils.
6. Lonicera X Purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’
If you’re looking for gorgeous scented, cream-coloured flowers across bare branches followed by glossy red berries, you need the aptly named and much-loved Lonicera X Purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ (Honeysuckle). Flowering from December all the way through until March this bushy, deciduous shrub is a great all-round garden plant that suits a variety of locations and makes a good plant for gardeners of all abilities.
7. Viburnum Tinus Eve Price
If you’d like to be able to look out at clusters of beautiful crimson, pink coloured buds which will open to small star like white flowers from December all the way through until April then Viburnum Tinus Eve Price, also known as Laurustinus, could be an evergreen shrub you need in your garden. As well as the beauty of its blooms, it can serve a very practical purpose. For example, if planted in groups, it’s great for creating a dense privacy screen and hedge. What’s more, it suits almost any location and a variety of garden types such as cottage and coastal gardens.
8. Hamamelis Intermedia ‘Arnolds Promise’
Witch Hazel, or Hamamelis Intermedia ‘Arnolds Promise’ is not only frost resistant but offers up copious amounts of bright yellow flowers which are extremely fragrant. Flowering from December to February, it’s a great shrub for lower beds and borders or low cottage gardens.
9. Lonicera Lemon Beauty / ‘Honeysuckle Lemon Beauty’
For plenty of lush green leaves as well as flowers through January, February and March, Lonicera Lemon Beauty or ‘Honeysuckle Lemon Beauty’ is an excellent choice. After the small, creamy white flowers have bloomed across the plant’s thick foliage, you can then enjoy the visual display of the pale purple berries. This is a great evergreen shrub for beginners and expert gardeners alike.
10. Winter Jasmin / Jasminum Officinale Nudiflorum
Winter Jasmin or Jasminum Officinale Nudiflorum is a shrub that blooms lovely summer yellow flowers across the branching stems which create a wonderful sea of colour, from January through to March. This shrub is great for use in beds and borders, and for wall side borders where it can be trained up the wall. Winter Jasmin suits a wide range of garden types and planting schemes making it a colourful all-round favourite.
11. Viburnum Bodnantense Dawn
Viburnum Bodnantense Dawn will bloom beautiful light pink and white flowers, produced from red buds giving you a really good long flower through the dark colder days of winter! Flowering from November through to March and having exceptional growing capabilities in almost any location and garden, this can be a really rewarding plant to grow and a welcome addition to any garden.