Wintergreen

These lovely little groundcovers sport a profusion of small red berries in late summer and fall. In fact, I have passed up these natives many times at the nursery but was finally swayed this September by their bright, cheerful fruits. Wintergreen is often used in potted arrangements in autumn after summer flowers are spent, but I went ahead and planted them in the ground, despite some sources saying that they never quite look as good when used as an actual groundcover. But I have their local western cousin Gaultheria shallon growing well nearby so I thought I’d give it a shot.