The trees are a given for beautiful fall color but there are many perennials, grasses and shrubs that are stunning in both the fall and winter.
Azalea Karen
This is one of the hardiest azaleas in colder climates and also evergreen through the winter. However, as you can see, it turns a beautiful red in the fall and deepens into a rust color for the winter never giving up its leaves.
Ninebark Summer Wine
This shrub has many faces, deep burgundy in the spring with white flowers, lighter burgundy in the summer and then bright red to almost black before it loses its leaves. In the winter it has a peeling gray bark.
Dwarf Fothergilla Gardenii
This is one of my favorite shrubs, almost looks unreal the colors it turns in the fall, white bottlebrush type flowers in the spring.
Mt. Airy Fothergilla
This is just a taller version of the dwarf and seems to turn color a little later.
Itea Little Henry's Garnet
Itea is a shrub that many times keeps its leaves all winter, white flowers in late spring.
Deutzia Chardonnay Pearls
Tor Spirea
Hydrangea Little Lime
Little Lime keeps its blooms all winter and looks great peeking out behind the evergreens.
Hydrangea Limelight
This is the larger variety and also will retain its flowers all winter. They do turn to a tan color but still very attractive.
Hydrangea Starlight Let's Dance
Not all hydrangeas have great fall leaf color but this one does!
Amsonia Blue Ice
Many Perennials also light up the fall season with their colors.
Amsonia Hubrechtii Northwind Select
Variegated Solomon's Seal
Sedum Matrona
Heuchera Pinot Gris
These are a few of the many heucheras that stay colorful during the winter looking wonderful when they peek out of the snow.
Heuchera Southern Comfort
Heuchera Berry Smoothie
Miscanthus Udine
Panicum Shenandoah
Panicum Northwind
Many of the grasses can be left up over the winter, even the above Miscanthus because it is less arching than other varieties. The Panicums do well, popping right back up when the snow melts.
Green is also a great look for the winter so do not ignore evergreens and groundcovers that hold their color.
