Extremely winter hardy, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) is a slow-growing, creeping, evergreen shrub with trailing red stems studded with small, leathery, glossy, obovate, dark green leaves, up to 1 in. long (2.5 cm). The foliage turns red or purple in winter before becoming green again in spring. Pretty clusters of lantern-shaped, white-to-pink flowers hang gracefully from the short red stems in mid to late spring. They last several weeks and are followed by edible, smooth, and glossy berries which ripen to bright red in the fall.

Noted for its attractive glossy red berries and excellent red fall foliage color, Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' (Red Chokeberry) is a deciduous shrub adding multi-season beauty to the garden. In spring, a profusion of white to light pink flower clusters appear along the branches. They are followed in late summer by abundant clusters of edible red berries that persist throughout fall and well into winter.

Compact, Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' (Boxwood) is a small, slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen shrub with a soft and lush foliage of ovate, fairly glossy leaves, up to 1 in. long (2 cm). Tough, hardy and easy to grow, this dwarf Boxwood provides color year-round, as well as form, texture and contrast to its companion plants.

Valued for the sweet, fruity fragrance of its flowers, Calycanthus floridus 'Michael Lindsey' (Carolina Allspice) is a compact, dense, rounded, well-branched deciduous shrub that is regarded as one of the best cultivars of Carolina Allspices. Exceptionally fragrant, with scents of fruit and spice, reddish-brown flowers, 2 in. wide (5 cm), somewhat resembling magnolia blossoms, are produced in abundance at the ends of short branchlets in late spring - early summer before giving way to urn-shaped fruits which mature to brown in fall and persist throughout the winter. The lustrous foliage of dark green oval leaves, with gracefully and elegantly pointed tips and lighter gray-green underside, consistently turns an attractive golden-yellow in fall.

Popular around the world, award-winning Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May' is incredibly beautiful with its profuse, semi-double, or double, shell-pink flowers with deeper shades of pink towards the center and many gold stamens. Slightly fragrant, the blooms, up to 3-5 in. wide (7-12 cm), are produced over a fairly long period in the early season (October - January in the Northern Hemisphere; March - June in the Southern Hemisphere). They are borne in such abundance that 'Jean May' in full bloom becomes one of the glories of the winter garden. The evergreen foliage of glossy, elliptical, dark green leaves with toothed margins makes this camellia a perfect candidate for espalier, flowering hedge or screen, border shrub, or container planting.

Adding a pop of vibrant color in the snowy, dull months of winter, Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood) is a medium-sized ornamental shrub with an incredible appeal. Rapidly growing, and adaptable to most soils including wet soils, it features spectacular decorative features: stunning fall color, attractive berries, vibrant red or golden stems, and sometimes lovely variegated summer foliage. A spectacular addition in the garden for most seasons, Red Osier Dogwood certainly adds a WOW! to a winter landscape.

Enkianthus campanulatus (Redvein Enkianthus) is a handsome, upright, bushy shrub with spectacular fall color and attractive clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, red-veined, creamy-yellow to whitish-pink flowers from late spring to mid-summer. Its elliptic, blue-green leaves are crowded in clusters at the branch tips and turn magnificent shades of orange and red in fall. Generally pest and disease free.

Bred in France over 100 years ago, award-winning Hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillere' (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a heavy-flowering shrub which bears rounded clusters of white sterile florets and serrated sepals turning to pink in the sun. Blooming for months from summer to fall in hardiness zones 5-9, it provides additional interest in the fall when its dark green foliage, with serrate leaves, slowly turns orange or red.

Incredibly popular, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is a robust, upright, and spreading deciduous shrub boasting huge, luxuriant conical flowers, up to 6-12 in. long (15-30 cm). Held upright on sturdy stems, they are well distributed, making a very attractive plant and display. As an added bonus, they change color as they mature, gradually turning from lime-green to creamy white in late summer to a rich, deep pink before finally fading to beige in fall. As the flower show fades, the oval, dark green leaves turn to lovely shades of red for a breathtaking autumn display. Persisting well into winter, the panicles provide additional winter interest.

Noted for its green winter stems and yellow spring flowers, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' (Japanese Kerria) is a vigorous suckering deciduous shrub of great beauty. In spring, it gets covered with bright yellow, pom-pom-like flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm). Borne on slender, arching stems, the blossoms resemble small roses. The foliage of prominently veined, narrow, light green leaves unfolds in the spring. It turns yellow in the fall, before falling to the ground, revealing attractive, bright green, winter stems. Highly popular, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' is a tough, but graceful flowering shrub that is pleasant in every season.

Adding color and splendor to the shade garden, Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly) is a striking evergreen shrub with multi-season interest. In spring, racemes of cheerful, bright golden-yellow flowers appear just above the leaves. Lightly fragrant, they attract pollinators before giving way to clusters of dark blue-purple, edible berries in late summer. Resembling small grapes, they attract birds and wildlife. They may be eaten fresh off the plant and make excellent jellies. The lustrous evergreen foliage of holly-like, leathery leaves, emerges bronze-red in spring, matures to glossy dark green by summer before turning deep burgundy in fall. This small ornamental shrub is the State Flower of Oregon.

Native to the Iberian Peninsula, Prunus lusitanica (Portugal Laurel) is a beautiful, large evergreen shrub or small tree with dark brown bark, glossy dark green, leathery leaves (5 in. long or 12 cm), and stems of a lovely deep rhubarb color. It is decorated in late spring or early summer with a profusion of pretty racemes of fragrant, tiny white flowers, which are followed by small red cherries that ripen to dark purple by fall. While the ripe berries should not be consumed, birds will strip them all once they are ripe. Portugal Laurel is a superb plant for hedges, screens, and windbreaks.

Extremely winter hardy, Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant) is a compact, mound-forming, deciduous shrub with bright green, trilobed leaves in spring. Emerging early, the foliage changes to dark green in summer with an attractive gloss on the leaf uppersides, before turning yellow in the fall. The flowers are greenish-yellow but ornamentally insignificant. This plant is dioecious (separate male and female plants). Scarlet juicy berries appear in midsummer on female plants. Perfect for formal or informal hedges since the foliage covers the plant all the way to the ground. It responds well to heavy pruning or shearing.

Perfect for shady gardens, Skimmia japonica (Japanese Skimmia) is a lovely, dense, mounded, evergreen shrub prized for its fragrant flowers, aromatic leaves, and showy fruits. In mid-spring, large clusters of fragrant, star-shaped, creamy white flowers, occasionally tinged pink, appear at the branch tips. The pretty blooms of female plants give way to ornamental, glossy, bright red berries that ripen in fall and persist through winter. They contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of leathery, lance-shaped, rich green leaves, which are clustered in whorls at the branch ends. When crushed, the aromatic leaves exude a pleasant scent.

Noted for its very ornamental, pure white, waxy berries, Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry) is a thicket-forming, deciduous shrub with upright to arching branches that is amazingly adaptable and undemanding. In early summer, a profusion of small, bell-shaped, white to pink flowers are borne in clusters in the leaf axils. Inconspicuous, they are of great interest to butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators. The flowers are followed by abundant and attractive clusters of brilliant snow-white berries that persist well into winter. The dense foliage of elliptic to rounded, blue-green leaves remains attractive from spring to frost but provides little fall color.

Hardy, low maintenance, and ignored by most pests, Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) are deciduous shrubs or small trees of great beauty, particularly when their showy, fragrant flowers are on full display. Lasting for weeks, the unusual blossoms feature thin, ribbonlike petals in warm shades of gold, yellow, orange and carmine red. While their winter blooms are of primary interest, Witch Hazels can also be showy in fall when their handsome oval green leaves, sometimes downy on the underside, take on golden-yellow shades before shedding to the ground.