Three large planters to fill for year round interest

[Pleaseandthankyou]

I have 3 large planters to fill. The pots will get sun in the mornings. I want to plant something that will look good all year round. They will need to be able to survive a northern winter. All suggestions will be welcome. The pots are different heights and I want to keep them together.

[cantspel]

how large are we talking? height, depth and circumference

[Pleaseandthankyou]

They are 30,24,and 18 inches tall. Diameter 24,18 and 12 inches

[cantspel]

Large enough for a decent shrub then.

Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'

www.crocus.co.uk/plants//skimmia-japonica-rubella/classid.4385/

Pieris Forest Flame

www.crocus.co.uk/search//search.Pieris-Forest-Flame/sort.0/

and maybe an acer of some sort

www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.acer/sort.0/

[NotGoodNotBad]

I have a cherry 'kojo no mai' in a large pot and it looks good at every season (flowers in spring, lime-coloured foliage in summer, red in autumn and twiggy structure in winter). I'm in Scotland, but in a city so we don't get extremes of cold.

[TheFarSide]

Agree with cantspel (I have all of those in containers!).

In addition, cordyline and possibly other hardy palms many of which can survive the cold as long as the soil isn't too wet and soggy at the same time.

[Pleaseandthankyou]

Thank you. I'm looking them up

[ComeIntoTheGardenMaud]

A malus (crab apple) would also give year-round interest in the biggest pot. You could underplant with spring bulbs.

[funnyperson]

yes to pieris forest flame- i'm very pleased with the variegated sort
also magnolia stellata
roses