Back

Introducing...

Winter-interest shrubs

Flowers that open in the depths of winter are a rare and valuable asset. A selection of shrubs not only offer dainty winter blooms, but rich fragrance too, which wafts across the garden to attract pollinating insects and gardeners alike. Popular examples include Daphne wintersweet, witch hazel and shrubby honeysuckle. Other shrubs offer vibrant berries or colourful bare stems over the winter months.

Looks

Offering flowers, berries or attractive stems, these shrubs come in all shapes and sizes. Some blooms are small and demure, others packed with scent, while a few are more vibrant show-stoppers. Additional colour comes from berries in a range of hues and young stems that resemble glowing pokers.

Likes

Most types will flower best in a sheltered, sunny spot. When planting, enrich the soil with well-rotted manure or compost. This will help to increase the fertility of the soil and its ability to hold on to moisture. Many of these shrubs are woodlanders, and enjoy an annual mulch of well-rotted compost or leaf mould over their roots.

Dislikes

It can take two years for the roots of your shrub to become established into the soil after planting. If the roots of a shrub dry out during this period, they may be badly damaged so that the shrub struggle to survive.

Did you know?

Winter-flowering shrubs are a valuable asset to a wildlife-friendly garden, providing nectar in the coldest months. This can be a lifeline for overwintering bumblebees and other insects that venture out in search of food on milder winter days. Strong fragrance helps to draw them to these often demure blooms from far and wide.

Growing guide

How to grow shrubs

How to grow shrubs

All the information you'll need to grow & care for shrubs in your garden.

How to grow shrubs

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.