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Winter Interest around Old Greenbelt

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Gardeners are always being recommended plants that provide “winter interest,” so we don’t get TOO depressed in the winter. Last month I went looking for winter interest around Old Greenbelt and snapped these examples of plants that provide color, texture and movement, even now.

Above and below is the glorious Ilex verticulata, common name Winterberry holly. It’s native to this region and a good provider for birds.winterberry holly in Greenbelt

 

pyracantha in Greenbelt

Pyracantha berries are nice but watch out for the sharp-edged leaves and even worse, the thorns.

 

Large ornamental grasses sway with the breeze and look great all winter – or until the first stalk-crushing blizzard. Above, they block a GHI member’s view of parked cars.

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I love these tall grasses in the front yard of the Museum.

 

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Great bark gets the attention it’s due this time of year. Can anyone ID this tree on the grounds of the Municipal Center?

img_2539Winter color doesn’t even need to be from plants. I love these inviting chairs and holiday decorations just inches from Ridge Road. I’m not sure they’re still there in late January, but my wreath, decorated in silver and blue, will stay up until March. The bark of the crepe myrtle on the right is nice. too.

 

Holly at Greenbelt Library

One more example of winter interest is also an example of breaking the first rule of sustainable gardening – “Right plant, right place.” This holly at the library could be the right place if the place weren’t so WRONG. Placement mistakes make for long-term maintenance headaches.

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Now who else has noticed the similarity between our library and the new Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture? This shot is from my visit (exterior only, so far) in October.

Follow Susan Harris:
Susan started blogging about Greenbelt soon after moving here in 2012, and that blog has grown into this nonprofit community website. She also created and curates the Greenbelt Maryland YouTube channel. Retired from garden writing and teaching, she continues to blog weekly at GardenRant.com.

4 Responses

  1. Angela M
    | Reply

    I was intrigued by your library holly comment, but was left in suspense. Why not educate us while you’re pointing it out anyway; where should it have been placed? I have one that randomly planted itself in my garden and I’ve not the foggiest notion what to do with it so I left it there but it looks conspicuously out of place. I was going to just pull it out and pitch it, so this might be serendipity!

    • Susan Harris
      | Reply

      Sorry! It’s just planted too close to the building, which requires the poor things (and there are several) to be butchered (technically, “topped”) regularly, which is a shame. Lots of work is required and the result destroys the natural form of the tree.

  2. rachel
    | Reply

    london plane?
    my neighbor will be thrilled that you liked her chairs!

  3. Sandra Lange
    | Reply

    Last photo is a stretch. Similar angle, but….

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