Cottage garden and shrubs

alexwildliferescue

Can anyone advise shrubs that work well with cottage gardens ? Establishing a border but bit bare in winter. Grateful for any suggestions. 

Lizzie27

Have a look at Osmanthus heterophyllus variegatus 'Goshiki' (what a mouthful!). It's actually a rather nice, evergreen, slow growing holly look alike in a pale green/cream variegation and pinkish new shoots this time of year. There are also new varieties of 'blue' leaved hollies which are rather attractive.
For something taller, winterflowering honeysuckle, lonicera fragrantissima has cream scented flowers in late winter/early spring. On a fence or wall, there is clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' an evergreen winter flowering one.
Choisya ternata and euronymus are also evergreen.