The Gardens on Spring Creek

  By Kate Watson, Gardener  As temperatures drop and summer blooms wilt, there are still many beautiful plants that can add winter interest to your garden. I am partial to the native species that bring warm red tones to a landscape. Here we’ll look at four plant species, native to Colorado, that turn red during winter and are found in The Gardens on Spring Creek.  Creeping Oregon Grape Holly ( Berberis repens ) Creeping Oregon grape holly, Berberis repens (formerly Mahonia repens ), also known as creeping mahonia or barberry, is a low-growing evergreen shrub native to western and central North America. Often 1-3 feet tall and at least as wide, it has broad leathery leaves bordered by small spiny teeth, similar to holly leaves. While not a true holly, which refers to the Ilex genus, Berberis repens also forms berries. The berries are dark blue, resembling grapes, hence the common name “grape holly.” In winter the foliage turns red to dark purple when exposed to ...