A winter flowering grabber is the all too common winter Jasmine, Jasminum nudiflorum. It takes little imagination to figure where the nudiflorum moniker comes from. This shrubby vine, or viney shrub is likely to burst forth in neon yellow at the first whiff of 45 degrees. And then do so again and again through out the winter and spring. Despite its thuggish nature, this embankment inhabiting "ground cover" is so audacious I can't resist looking forward to its sudden appearances. I don't think this drought and poor soil tolerant critter is a must for every garden, nor even for most, but I'm sure glad state highway departments and city governments have a hankering to include it in their repertoires.
There are a great many other shrubs that provide winter interest. Look for them, both the bold and the subtle. You probably already have a few in your garden. Just take the time to observe them, to appreciate them in their not so formal attire. Who knows you may even find they are even more attractive in their unmentionable attire and fall in love with them anew. What a great story that would be. And who knows, we may even shorten winter a little as we while away the hours getting to know our old friends a little more intimately.
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