Say goodbye to the dreariness of winter, by installing a fantastic plant (or two!) that will bring plenty of inspiration and interest in your winter garden.

Paperbark Maple, Acer griseum, is a low-growing, small deciduous tree with scarlet red fall color and striking cinnamon-colored bark that exfoliates.15-20’h x 10’w. Full sun-part shade.

Kousa Dogwood, Cornus kousa, is a terrific deciduous tree with multi-season interest. In spring, it’s covered with pretty, star-shaped blooms, in fall, leaves turn a beautiful reddish orange and in winter, it shows off its exfoliating bark in shades of gray, tan, brown and orange.Many selections are available. 20-25’ x 20-30’w. Part shade-full sun.

Blue Princess Holly, Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess,’ is a beautiful evergreen shrub with shiny, spiny, dark green leaves. Paired with Blue Prince Holly, will bear bright red berries in winter. 4-6’h x 4-6’w. Full sun-part shade.

Globe Blue Spruce, Picea pungens ‘Glauca globosa’, is another evergreen shrub that offers distinctive silvery blue needles year round that have the added benefit of deer and rabbit resistance. 3-5’h x 4-6’w. Full sun.

Golden Mops Threadleaf Falsecypress.

Falsecypress, Chamaecyparis, are slow-growing, finely textured, touchable evergreens that are deer and rabbit resistant and serve as wonderful specimens in a protected, sun to part shade location. Sullivan Falsecypress C. lawsoniana ‘Sullivan’, has softly drooping branches and a fluffy yet narrow form. 15’h x 8’w. Golden Mops Threadleaf Falsecypress, C. pisifera ‘Mops’, a pretty little plant with a low-mounding, pyramidal form and brilliant yellow, thread-like foliage. Best color shows when planted in sun. 5’h x 3’w. Fernspray Cypress C. obtusa ‘Filicoides’ has an upright form and an open, irregular habit and unusual sprays of lush, fern-like foliage. 5’h x 4’h.

Coral Embers Willow, Salix alba ssp. Vitelline Britzensis, is a deciduous shrub with fantastic bright orange stems. As with all willows, it requires consistently damp soil with good drainage. 4’h x 4’w. Full sun.

Maiden Grass.

Ornamental Grasses such as Maiden Grass Miscanthus, Switch Grass Panicum and Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis shine in summer and fall, and when left uncut in the winter, offer structural interest with their dried flower plumes and golden tan foliage. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and thrive in full sun.