The Beauty of Bark

While many gardeners appreciate the practical value of bark for keeping trees and woody shrubs healthy, the aesthetic qualities of bark are often overlooked.

However, well-chosen bark can add great beauty to a garden, and is especially important for creating winter interest.

When the blooms are gone and the leaves have fallen, choosing trees and shrubs with decorative bark is one of the best ways to add winter interest to your garden.

Flaking or peeling bark, such as that of the River Birch, unusually textured bark, such as the nearly smooth bark of many beech species, and colored bark, such as the bright red-twig and yellow-twig dogwoods are among the many options to choose from.

This lens offers an inspirational gallery of beautiful bark for gardeners.

Photo by backpackphotography.