Winter hardy shrubs: Best choices for winter

The winter cold climate can be dull, but the plants in your garden don’t have to be! You might be surprised at just how many shrub options there are for chilly gardens. Some shrubs originate from regions where the cold freezes the ground for months. Select both deciduous and evergreen shrubs that can endure harsh winters.

Hardy shrubs to select

Birch shrubs

This charming shrub strikes a perfect balance between funky and classic. Its tiny leaves create a fine texture, making it an excellent choice for adding contrast to your landscape. Birch shrubs can either be shaped or allowed to grow into a naturally rounded ball. They are winter-hardy and can endure frost, so be sure to mulch them well before the cold weather arrives.

Red-Twig Dogwood

Extremely valuable for gardeners who love wildlife in their gardens. These shrubs flower with tiny white flowers around spring, perfect for pollinators. Their red stems are not only beautiful in winter, but also provide great perches for birds as they visit feeders. What’s captivating about the dogwood shrubs is how they change colours depending on the season.

Image Credit: Pexels

Juniper

To spice up your evergreen game, opt for these fluffy shrubs. This fine-textured shrub is perfect for dressing up the front of the garden or around the front of your yard. It thrives in impossible spots, perfect for those freezing winters.

Image Credit: Pexels

Blue holly shrubs

This evergreen shrub has glossy, spiny, blue-green leaves that produce dark red berries that attract birds in winter. The perfect plant for non-migratory birds. The blue holly does well in cold winters but will need at least 4 to 6 hours of sunshine to continue to thrive. They are one of the hardiest shrub types that do well in evening temperature drops.

Winterberry shrubs

Bright red berries make winterberry deciduous shrubs quite the stunner, especially in snowy gardens. Unlike the evergreen blue holly shrubs, which keep their glossy green leaves all year round. The winterberry sheds its leaves each autumn. The red berries are one of the attractive traits of the winterberry shrubs.