Find the perfect plants for outdoor winter arrangements

Q. What are some good plants I can use in an outdoor winter arrangement?

A. You have given me a question with lots of possibilities for an answer. You can choose from so many plants.

Select miniature evergreens or perhaps a Mugo pine, English holly or boxwood. There are also perennials that can tolerate cold and look good in containers, like Heuchera, also known as coral bells, ornamental grasses and lambs ear.

Let's not forget about Sedum, hens and chicks, creeping jenny, Persian shield, ivy, creeping wire vine or hosta. Experiment with cold season ornamental cabbage, flowering kale and pansies. You can always count on mums and asters, too.

Select healthy looking plants. When choosing a shrub, select the bushiest, rather than the tallest. Be sure to check for a well-established root system.

When choosing a perennial, select one that has healthy, vigorous foliage, unmarked by pests or diseases.

For annuals, select plants with plenty of buds for future flowers. Look for healthy green foliage and dense bushy growth.

Now you are ready to plant. Use containers that will survive the cold. They may be made of fiberglass, metal, thick plastic, stone, concrete, synthetic materials, wood or even hollow logs. Be sure to have a drainage hole or two in it. Consider placing the container on pot feet, so it will not freeze to the ground.

When it comes to the overall look, the idea of contrasting textures appeals to me. I like a combination of live plants, freshly cut boughs, twigs like willow or dogwood, colorful berries and interesting green foliage.

For me it is a special treat to use bright twigs trimmed from my own garden and branches from my own fir, evergreen or pine trees. You can also purchase these at your local garden center. I use tall items in the center, and medium and short all around, when arranging my container.

Add gourds or pine cones. Even almonds and other nuts in their shells make a beautiful accent. Sometimes I mix in ornaments or sparkly picks. Maybe even a bright red bow.

Step back. Take a look. You now have a terrific and festive winter focal point to place on your porch or in your yard.

Perhaps, you may think the gardening season is over. Don't even consider giving up for the winter, however. Perk yourself up with some bright colors and fascinating textures. Get out there and plant a pot!

- Holly Schmidt

Q. Is it good to mulch perennials, and if so what materials can I use?

A. Mulching provides many benefits to your perennials and, best of all, many appropriate materials are available to you for free. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch conserves water in the soil, inhibits the growth of weeds and maintains soil temperature for better plant growth.

There's no need to go to a lot of expense purchasing mulch for your garden. Appropriate materials for mulching are available to you in abundance right now in the form of grass clippings and shredded leaves that you can obtain from mowing your lawn in the fall. Other good mulches include peat, ground corn cobs, pine needles, bark or wood chips and straw.

Organic mulches such as those mentioned gradually decompose and can be cultivated into the soil to improve its tilth. A fresh layer needs to be applied periodically. Inorganic mulches could include black plastic, gravel or flat stones, even boards or planks; you will get several seasons work out of these materials.

After the first killing frost you will likely be cleaning up your perennial beds, cutting and removing dead stalks, foliage and weeds. Once the beds have been cleared of debris, add a fresh layer of winter mulch in the form of composted or shredded leaves, straw or grass clippings. Be careful not to get carried away with your mulching - a 2-inch layer is fine; too much mulch on the plant crown or base may cut off the oxygen supply and suffocate the plant.

Take care to notice that some plants, such as poppies, may have put out little tuft of growth in the fall that will need some extra protection, such as an overturned flower pot, to keep the mulch from flattening the leaves. If your bed catches the wind, you may want to top off your mulch with some branches or sections of poultry wire to hold it in place.

A warm winter blanket of mulch will keep your perennials happy for their winter rest and much less likely to be heaved from the soil during the freeze and thaw cycles of winter.

- Stephanie Kenny

• Provided by Master Gardeners through the Master Gardener Answer Desk, Friendship Park Conservatory, Des Plaines. Call (847) 298-3502 or email northcookmg@gmail.com.