Peter Dowdall: Fifty shades of this super shrub to select

One of the most overlooked yet exceptional genera of evergreen shrubs is leucothoe -- among the evergreens whose glossy foliage is ideal for any gardener seeking year-round interest

Evergreen shrubs and plants offer with glossy foliage are ideal for any gardener seeking to add year-round interest to their garden and home's exterior. File pictures

Early spring and winter are wonderful times to really examine a garden as you get to see the bare bones of the space. Naked trees stand like silhouettes in the low winter sunshine. Dead flower stems hold up their seedheads to needy birds and insects. Often frost-covered lawns and more recently, the results of storm damage are evident during the season.

It’s a chance to look at the balance in the garden and in this case, I’m talking about that balance between deciduous and evergreen. For yes, the winter stems and barks are glorious to admire but I think every garden needs some of the consistency that comes with omnipresent foliage. We need it aesthetically, but more importantly, it’s needed ecologically.