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Dogwood
Dogwoods are fantastic in winter gardens. Their brightly coloured stems come in citrus yellow, lime, orange or fiery red. They also provide year-round appeal with marbled leaves, fabulous fruits and great autumn colour.
Cornus kousa var. chinensis
Cornus sanguinea (common dogwood) is a native plant with a long history. It's even been found in ancient hedgerows mingling with hawthorn and hazel. Previously a favourite of council planting schemes, dogwoods have revamped their image and are now in favour with garden designers.
The more exotic Cornus kousa is native to Japan and Korea, with showy bracts and strawberry-like fruits in autumn.
Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'
Don’t be daunted by the array of different dogwood species - there are distinctive groups to fulfil your needs. The larger trees aren’t an option with smaller gardens. Instead, choose from the wide range of shrubs, which can be cut down every year, keeping them compact.
Dogwoods have tiny flowers, but they're surrounded by modified leaves, called bracts, that look just as dramatic.
Cornus alba
To ensure vibrant winter colours, cut back hard in early spring as they're starting to break into leaf. Cut stems down to four to five buds, a few inches from the ground. Next winter you'll get the desired results, with the brightly-coloured new stems. If you want to keep a framework, particularly on the variegated species, cut down a third of the stems.
Most of the shrub species can be propagated by hardwood cuttings from November to January. Many of the trees, such as C. mas and C. controversa 'Variegata', can also be grafted.
Winter garden
One option is to plant against a contrasting backdrop, such as an evergreen hedge. However, the site needs some sun to ensure the best stem colour. Plant in clusters of three or five to achieve the best effect.
Dogwoods generally prefer moist soil, so can tolerate sites which stay wet, partnering other damp-loving plants such as salix and betula. These also offer contrasting winter stem effects, for example Betula utilis var. jacquemontii ' Silver Shadow' or Salix alba subsp . Vitellina .
If you're planning a winter garden, remember to keep it close to home or at least in view, as no-one feels like venturing through a cold, muddy garden to admire winter displays. Other winter stunners are hamamelis, hellebores and sarcococca.
The National Collection of Cornus: RHS Garden Rosemoor Rosemoor Great Torrington North Devon EX38 8PH Tel: 01805 624067 (External) www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/gardens/rosemoor/index.asp
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