LIVING ARCHITECTURE

Winter is theper feet time to introduce shapely, structural plantsthat willremaiiras your garden’s framework throughout the year

- HEATHER MARSHALL

With flowers few and far between, the winter garden is all about shape and structure. The bones laid bare and highlighted by frost, it's the architectural plants that really come into their own. Neatly clipped topiary, jewel-like evergreens, and the shapely stems of deciduous shrubs and trees all continue to add interest when everything else is dormant.

 

Architectural plants come in all shapes, sizes and forms, from an understorey of evergreen ferns to multi-stemmed birch trees with their striking tactile bark. We define these plants as shapely and sculpturally strong,' says Guy Watts, owner of specialist nursery Architectural Plants. Eye-catching outlines provide vertical drama-floating clouds of foliage, vibrant textures and contrasting shades of green are their leading characteristics."