Last men standing: a few favourites
Lunaria annua (right) The paper-thin seed capsules of annual honesty are too delicate to survive throughout the winter, but are worth keeping for those days early in the season when the pods are illuminated by low rays of sunshine. These are moments to savour
Eryngium (far right) A prickly but captivating seedhead consisting of a central cone packed with seeds surrounded by a collar of dried bracts. By the end of winter, these bracts are little more than a delicate tracery of veins. To enjoy its beauty, you must tolerate the dozens of seedlings it will leave behind
Cynara cardunculus At more than 5ft tall, the cardoon is always an arresting sight. Its branching stems are topped by artichoke-like seedheads that provide a treat for acrobatic blue tits. I try to place them so that I can appreciate their silhouette against the sky
Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis (right) During the summer, this is a straggly plant of limited merit, but, in winter, it transforms itself into a star of the garden: inflated bristly pods the size of small hen’s eggs hang from a network of cinnamon-coloured stems that grow to about 5ft tall
Miscanthus sinensis Miscanthus defies the rigours of winter better than any other perennial plant and it provides drama in the combination of the bold stature of its stems and the lightness and delicacy of their plumes. Early in the season, some cultivars retain hints of their summer colour, but, by midwinter, they all turn a golden-straw colour
Echinacea (far left) The coneflowers have strong, rigid stems that are tough enough to endure the coldest winters and look magnificent when grown in large groups. The cones are packed with nutritious seeds, which will be eaten by overwintering goldfinches, leaving behind a ghostly reminder of the flower’s beauty.
Rosa rugosa (top left) The brightness that these hips bring in winter is out of all proportion to their size. Seen against the muted yellow of grasses or among the greys and browns of herbaceous plants in winter, the hips of R. rugosa,
R. canina and other species of roses radiate colour and warmth Phlomis tuberosa and Phlomis russeliana (bottom left) After flowering, both species leave behind seedheads in a hard casing that is arranged in layers along the upright stems. They are most attractive when seen in drifts against a background of golden grasses