Now that Christmas is in the past and decorations are down, I can start thinking about the new year. As a grower and Garden Designer I have the advantage of having plants in stock for placing in client gardens that I can play with before they go to their forever home. I place plants that are blooming by my office door and enjoy them even when they aren’t in the ground. Even before Christmas was over the Sarcococca started blooming in my entryway. My favorites right now by the front door are:
Edgeworthia chrysantha or the paper bush plant is just coming into bloom with some of the drooping flowers still tightly budded. The creamy flower clusters with the edges in soft yellow brighten up even the grayest day in the Pacific Northwest. Hardy to zone 7, in sun or part shade, it is also a very fragrant addition to the garden. It makes me think of far off summer breezes.
Camellia ‘Buttermint’: Pale small buttery yellow flower covers this smaller Camellia early in the year. This is the one that blooms just after ‘Yuletide’ in my garden. It is covered with blooms and when the wind really blows the petals will scatter across the lawn like confetti. It averages 4 – 6 feet and should be in filtered sun in the garden.
Hammelis ‘Jelena’: A beautiful orange witch hazel in full bloom right now. Hardy to Zone 5 it will eventually reach a height of 8 – 12 feet. It blooms in full sun to part shade and has showy Fragrant flowers. Of course, it won’t get that height at the front door, but it will be at just the right height to enjoy the flowers and fragrance as you walk by.
Remember these guys are available in your local nursery now and can be planted after you are done enjoying the up-close view of them. I sometimes drop them into a more decorative pot or tuck them beside another planted pot until I’m ready to put them in the ground. Add a few white fairy lights to keep it bright when you walk up to the doorway in the evening.
