At this darkest time of the year, we depend on evergreens to do the heavy lifting. But don’t forget they come in a range of coloursThere are so many reasons to love evergreen plants, from their unique ability to create all-year-round screening, to how they generously provide a green canopy without the need to sweep it up by the bag-load every autumn. With scientific research into the health benefits of plants even suggesting that the colour green itself may be – at least in part – responsible for their therapeutic effect, these plants that are perpetually in leaf are probably some of the most effective at enhancing our wellbeing. If you, however, have been put off evergreens because you feel they lack autumn colour, these four have-your-cake-and-eat-it plants might just change your mind.The heavenly bamboo Nandina domestica creates an airy canopy of elegantly divided leaves on evergreen shrubs around 2m tall. With new growth that is flushed with burgundy before maturing to dark green come the autumn, the red and purple shades return with the first frosts to protect the leaves from the cold. Once warm weather returns, as if by magic, the green hues spring back in the leaves as if nothing had happened. Unlike most deciduous plants, the lack of leaf fall means that this cool-weather colour is retained for months rather than just a few weeks, greatly prolonging the show. Add to this the delicate sprays of white flowers come the summer, and the fact that they will never need pruning, and you have a pretty much perfect plant. Continue reading…
Source : theguardian.com
Read more…Winter colour: evergreens can also come in uplifting reds
