Most gardeners hate short days and long nights. The season we call winter is hardly a season at all, at least not one we like. Call it the "let's appreciate brown" season. Shades of tan and sienna with a little gray and black, so it goes in winter.

There are a couple of redeeming points for December, days stop getting shorter and red looks so good with brown.

There are numerous shrubs that produce bright red berries, one of which is so stellar for December that it glows in the landscape. A native holly, Ilex verticillata is deciduous, shedding its leaves to reveal bare stems covered in berries of red, yellow or orange. The most popular selections have red berries but all are worthy. Indigenous from Maine to Georgia, the national record holders or largest specimens are both located in Virginia Beach, Virginia (16' tall x 13' wide).

You need to plant a male and female to ensure berries and there are two cycles for flowering, early and late. It's often worth planting two males, both an early and late flowering variety to guarantee pollination and berries. Only the female shrubs will produce berries, so plant accordingly. The small flowers are produced from late May to late June and watering in July helps hollys hold on to their fruit. Stress, like drought, will result in premature berry drop.

Ilex v. 'Sparkleberry' was hybridized at the National Arboretum and might be the most popular of all. Ilex 'Winter Red' gives slightly larger berries and I. 'Red Sprite' is a dwarf. I personally love I. 'Winter Gold' with creamy gold berries that become more orange.

The popularity of their cut stems, especially in December, has created a demand that continues to grow every year (to the point of shortages). The cut stems hold up for a long period and can be placed in a container without water, drying with berries intact.

In the landscape they do best in an area with some natural moisture. In the wild they love swampy areas, but certainly don't need that to do well. I love them with ornamental grasses, particularly the native little bluestem or schizachyrium. The yellow branches of thread leafed cypress or Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop' also make for a striking combination. It takes the drab out of December.