January is a time for rest and recuperation - the best place to view the garden can be looking from the comfort of your chair with the heating on and a cuppa in hand. To enhance that view there are some great plants with colourful Winter Stems that will brighten up those dark winter days. The bright winter sunshine and crisp frosty mornings bring an added dimension to the garden too, it gives us a chance to appreciate the garden in a completely different light.

the winter gloom and Cornus is one of them. With their vibrantly coloured stems they provide fantastic structure in winter gardens and also contrast with early bulbs, especially the pure white of snowdrops. Later in the year, if left to flower, the large white bracts provide colour in the summer garden too.

Cornus is a large and varied genus, made up of 65 species of mainly deciduous shrubs and small trees. C. alba, C. sericea and C. sanguinea are the main producers of the coloured stemmed varieties.

Not all Cornus are known for the their Stem colour, some are known for their unusual flowers in mid summer, eg Cornus kousa and others for their interesting branch formations, eg Cornus Controversa.

It’s a varied group of trees and shrubs, all have their own merits but as its winter see below for some suggestions on how to bring a little bit of sunshine in the depths of winter.

Cornus alba Elegantissima is probably my favourite and I use it a lot – its variegated leave are useful as a backdrop to summer flowering herbaceous planting and the winter interest is provided by its bright red stems. The red stemmed varieties are probably the best known and are a valuable part of any planting scheme.

Cornus Midwinter Fire is one plant that will light your garden up throughout winter. During the summer this shrub can be quite unassuming but come winter its stems show their fiery nature and it becomes evident where they get their name from.

Cornus stolonifera Flaviramea has clusters of white flowers in May and June and oval, dark green leaves, which redden in autumn and fall to reveal bright, yellow-olive winter stems. The stems of this dogwood look stunning planted alongside salmon-pink and red-stemmed varieties. An excellent specimen plant for sunny, moist areas of the garden. It's particularly effective near water.

Cornus sericea 'Budd's Yellow' is a vibrant, deciduous, suckering shrub with yellow-green stems that are especially useful in adding winter-interest colour to the garden. Small yellowish-white flowers are borne in clusters in early summer and are followed by round white berries making 'Bud's Yellow' a plant for many seasons.

Cornus alba 'Kesselringii' has dramatic, dark stems which provides an excellent focal point in the winter garden. Tolerating a range of conditions including partial shade, it contrasts well with yellow-olive or red-stemmed varieties of dogwood.

Cornus are best grown in rich soils in full sun to part shade. It is tolerant of a wide range of different soil types but prefers a bit of moisture. The best stem colour occurs on young stems and although pruning is not required, if you want to make the best of that winter display, it is advisable to prune at least once every couple of years. Pruning can include removing 20-25% of the oldest stems in early spring of each year to stimulate growth of new stems or can be as savage as pruning right down to the ground on an annual basis.

These fabulous little shrubs can be used in so many different types of schemes, its versatility making it very popular in both domestic and commercial planting schemes. They look best planted in groups in front of a dark background but can be used as a single specimen in smaller schemes too.

One of my favourite combinations include Geranium Patricia planted in front of the Cornus alba Elegantissima. The stems of the geranium climb into the Cornus with the flowers poking out form the leafy structure. When the herbaceous then dies down in the winter, the cornus comes alive and ensures that you still have some interest in the garden during those grey gloomy days too.

Jobs to be done in January:
Ornamental Garden.
• If the ground is waterlogged then keep off the soil to avoid compaction and worsening the conditions.
• If snow falls – Do not let the snow sit on the shrubs, gently shake off to prevent damage.
• Prune bush or standard apples and pears, aiming to create an open framework of about 5 main branches.
• Sweet Peas can be sown this month and those sown in the autumn can be potted on. Place them in a sunny greenhouse, coldframe or windowsill.
• Plan annual cut flowers for the borders.
• Mulch borders if not already done in autumn.
• Plant deciduous hedges.
• Move deciduous trees and shrubs if necessary.
• Ensure protective coverings such as fleece/mulch have remained in place over frost tender plants.
• Avoid walking on turf when the grass is covered with frost or is waterlogged.

Vegetable Garden.
• Protect brassicas from pigeons with cloches, netting or fleece.
• Harvest Winter Vegetables such as parsnip, swede, sprouts, leeks and turnip.
• Remove one third of the oldest stems of black currants at ground level to encourage new basal shoots.