Winter Landscape
During the winter months it’s difficult to have the entire landscape full of color. Today I’m at my friends Sandra and Joel’s in Ocean Springs where Sandra uses sunny spots to add pockets of color for winter interest. Approaching the front of the house you can’t help but notice the circular drive. Contrasting hardscape textures of distressed brick and earth toned pea gravel frame the sunny front bed. Sandra has used a mixture of woody and herbaceous plants. Sonnet snapdragon and Matrix pansy are good choices along with ornamental kale. Raspberry Blast Supertunia adds a pink punch. The pink is repeated with the Mississippi Medallion winner Shishigashira camellia. Dwarf abelia is a good green foundation. The new foliage emerges a muted pink. Antique planters by the front steps repeat the Sonnet snapdragon and matrix pansy combination. At the side door pink camellias greet visitors. In the back yard pool area Sandra continues the idea of pocket color. She has colorful sweet potato vine in planters that will need protection when the temperatures are frosty. By the pool house sassanqua camellia adds splashes of color. So take advantageous of sunny spots to create pockets of color in your winter landscape. I’m Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.