Even when it’s not snowing, Viburnum brings snowballs to the garden, and if it does freeze, this garden plant stays green and brings an early spring-like invigoration.

Snowball is a diverse family of shrubs. There are species that remain green in winter, semi-evergreen varieties and species that shed all their leaves. As compensation, they do grow sprays of white and pink flowers on the bare branches between November and March. Those flowers have a fabulous fragrance and are very frost-resistant: a spectacular combination.

Generally speaking, the later the shrub blooms, the larger the flowers will become. Snowball also either has a second flowering in the autumn or will produce lovely red, blue or black berries at that time of year. With foliage that also changes colour beautifully in autumn, this garden bloomer has something special to offer in every season.

Another popular plant during the winter months is Box (Buxus). It’s green all year round, is always attractive and can be pruned into almost any shape or size.

European Buxus sempervirens is ideal for pruning and shaping – also known as topiary. The closely-related Buxus sempervirens ‘Elegantissima’ also responds well to pruning, plus it has variegated leaves. For high hedges, choose fast growing Buxus ‘Rotundifolia’. For a slow growing, compact bush reaching about one metre at maturity, choose Buxus microphylla, the leaves of which can turn bronze in winter.

Can you achieve professional results pruning a pot-grown box shrub? Yes, if you follow some simple steps. Place the pot at a good working height. Take your shears and start working at the bottom. Turn the shears over so that you can follow the spherical shape more easily. Follow the shape, cutting as you go. Finally, trim the top. The result should be a tight, spherical shape.

You can let your box plant grow into a larger bush. The plant is versatile and will be attractive however you choose to maintain it.