Is your garden looking rather drab and tired today at the end of winter? Then add some colour with Cornus or dogwoods, a varied and good value group of plants. They are tough useful shrubs and trees, many shrubs with strongly coloured stems in coral red, orange, yellow and purple to give great winter and spring colour in the garden. Plant them in groups where the winter sun catches them with evergreen plants at their feet for maximum effect.
Ensure your winter colour for next year by cutting the stems down hard in late March, allowing new shoots to grow ready for next winter. Dogwoods have creamy-white flowers in May and June, and some have variegated foliage to brighten a shady corner.