Neeli Reamer is The Roanoke Times' gardening columnist. Her column appears twice monthly in Extra.

Neeli Reamer

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About Neeli

Neeli Reamer is a Master Gardener who has a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication and a master's degree in counseling, where she focused heavily on horticultural therapy techniques.

She believes gardening isn't about being perfect, it's about having fun.

I made a mad dash to the mailbox yesterday. It was 18 degrees outside. I was hoping to find a new seed catalog. But the box was empty.

When I turned around and surveyed my yard, I was equally disappointed.

My border garden looked dull and downright depressing buried under the leftover ice and snow. Just last June, hundreds of zinnias, cosmos, garden phlox and daylilies stretched toward the sun. And now, almost nothing is there.

I made a common mistake and planned a three-, not a four-season garden.

The truth is that a garden in winter doesn't ever have to be boring or bare. Well-designed winter gardens can shine, even on dreary days.

Plan now; plant later

Good winter gardens have good "bones." These are the permanent, structural parts of a landscape, such as benches, fences, arbors, paths, trees, conifers and evergreen shrubs. They are especially noticeable after leaves have fallen and perennials have gone dormant and disappeared.

Simply adding some stepping stones and small evergreens to my garden this spring could make a huge difference next January.

I will also be sure to include plants that dazzle during the winter months. Such plants may feature beautifully textured bark, cold hardy blooms, winter berries or striking shapes and forms.

Winter gems

I actually do have a few bright spots in my landscape.

Dried flowers on my hydrangeas and "Autumn Joy" sedum lend much needed winter interest. The evergreen liriope, yews, boxwoods, "Green Giant" thuja and junipers that fade into the background most of the year are welcome sights during winter.

Here are some outstanding plants that deserve a place in every winter garden:

n Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous, native shrub that gets anywhere from 6 to 15 feet tall. The leaves drop off in autumn and expose ruby red berries. Birds love them. Winterberries prefer moist, acid soil and full sun to partial shade.

Like most hollies, female and male winterberries must be planted near each other so the female will produce berries. Generally, one male pollinator is needed for every five females. "Winter Red" is a popular female cultivar that requires a male pollinator called "Southern Gentleman."

My absolute favorite winterberry is the hybrid "Sparkleberry," a U.S. National Arboretum introduction that really lives up to its name. Plant the male "Apollo" somewhere close by.

Evergreen hollies are wonderful in the winter garden, too.

n River birches (Betula nigra) are fast-growing, native, deciduous trees that like cool, moist soil conditions. They can reach up to 70 feet.

Birches are valued in the winter for their unique, exfoliating or peeling bark. Bark colors range from creamy to orange-brown. The bark is so impressive that many gardeners use landscape lighting to illuminate birch trees at night. I bought an attractive cultivar named "Dura-Heat," and it has flourished in my yard.

n Hellebores (Helleborus orientalis) or Lenten roses are prized winter garden plants.

Lenten roses have coarse, leathery evergreen foliage. Their long-lasting flowers appear in late winter/early spring. Flower colors vary from frosty white to green to plum. These 12- to 24-inch-tall shade-loving perennials make a nice backdrop for cheerful bulbs such as snowdrops and crocus.

n Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is an old-fashioned, finely textured, upright 6- to 8-foot-tall evergreen shrub that most gardeners are familiar with. Heavenly bamboo is native to China and may be invasive in warmer parts of Virginia and states to the south.

This is one tough plant. It thrives in almost any well-drained soil. Grow heavenly bamboo in full sun to partial shade. Every winter, the shrubs are covered with clusters of bright scarlet (sometimes yellowish) berries. Many compact cultivars have fire-engine red foliage in wintertime.

n Ornamental grasses showcase graceful silhouettes and add some drama to the garden. Most ornamental grasses bloom in the fall, but the dry, feathery plumes and foliage don't need to be cut back before winter arrives. Wait and trim ornamental grasses back to 4 to 6 inches in early spring, before growth resumes.

Tall ornamental grasses such as maiden grass, switch grass and pampas grass will rustle in the wind all winter long. The majority of ornamental grasses grow best in full sun and average, well-drained soil. They are practically pest free.

You can easily create a winter wonderland in your own back yard by planting any one or more of these cold weather classics. January is the perfect month to step back, take stock of your landscape and decide if it has enough winter charm.

To do: Chase away the winter blues by perusing seed catalogs online. Attend some gardening classes. Plan your four-season garden.