The beauty of winter lies in stark contrasts, with bare limbs silhouetted against cool blue skies. Add colorful winter berries to your yard, and magnify these spectacular contrasts. A cotoneaster creeping over a railing and a pyracantha flattened to a wall inject vibrant berries into an otherwise naked world. But their beauty doesn't end there.

Carefree Color
Jane Bath, landscape designer from Land Arts in Monroe, Georgia, knows firsthand the value of these plants. "Using shrubs such as cotoneaster and pyracantha is the simplest way to get color into a winter landscape," says Jane. "They require minimal care and aren't plagued by disease." Because these shrubs adapt to poor soils and can handle heat and cold, they really won't cause too many problems. The biggest mistake most homeowners make, Jane notices, is fussing with the plants too much. "Just plant 'em, and let 'em go," she advises.