Winter in your garden doesn't have to be dull. Many plants offer interesting texture, shape and even colour throughout the cold months. Here is a list of plants, shrubs and trees that can be planted for interest year round.
Perennials
Calamagrostis x acutifolia Feather Reed Grass
Chasmanthium latafolium Northern Sea Oats
Echinaceae purparescens Purple Coneflower
Hedera helix English Ivy
Helleborus x hybridus Helleborus hybrids
Miscanthus sinensis Maiden Grass
Rudbeckia fulgida Black-Eyed Susan
Schizachyrium scoparium Bluestem
Sedum spectabile (purple cultivars) Purple Stonecrop
Sedum telephium (purple cultivars) Purple Stonecrop
Sporobolus heterolepis Prairie Dropseed
Shrubs
Andromeda polifolia "Blue Ice" Blue Ice Bog Rosemary
Aronia melanocarpa Black Chokecherry
Buxus sp Boxwood
Chamaecyparis obtuse Hinoki Falsecypress
Cornus alba Tatarian Dogwood
Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ Siberian Dogwood
Cornus sericea Red Osier Dogwood
Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ Yellowtwig Dogwood
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ Corkscrew Hazel
Erica carnea Winter Heath
Euonymus fortunei Wintercreeper Euonymus (early)
Hamamelis x intermedia Witchhazel
Hydrangea paniculata Panicle Hydrangea
Ilex aquifolium Holly
Ilex x meserveae Holly hybrids
Ilex verticillata Winterberry
Juniperus Juniper hybrids
Kerria japonica ‘Pleniflora’ Double Flowering Kerria
Myrica pensylvanica Northern Bayberry
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper
Pinus mugo Mugo Pine
Rhus typhina Staghorn Sumac
Rosa rugosa Rugosa Rose
Salix ‘Flame’ Flame Willow
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus Coralberry
Syringa pekinensis Pekin Lilac
Taxus cuspidate Japanese Yew
Taxus x media Yew hybrids
Thuja occidentalis White Cedar
Viburnum x bodnantense "Dawn" Dawn Viburnum
Trees
Abies balsamea Balsam Fir
Abies concolor White Fir
Abies sibirica Siberian Fir
Acer griseum Paperback Maple
Betula nigra River Birch
Betula papyrifiera Paper Birch
Betula pendula European Birch
Betula platyphylla Japanese White Birch
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis "Pendula" Weeping Nootka Falsecypress
Chamaecyparis pisifera "Filifera" Threadleaf Falsecypress
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn
Euonymus europeanus European Spindle (early winter)
Malus spp. Crabapple (most varieties)
Picea abies Norway Spruce
Picea glauca White Spruce
Picea omorika Serbian Spruce
Picea pungens Colorado Spruce
Pinus nigra Austrian Pine
Pinus strobus White Pine
Robinia pseudoacacia "Twisted Baby" Twisted Baby Locust
Salix alba (+ cultivars) Willow
Staphylea trifolia American Bladdernut
Tsuga canadensis Canadian Hemlock