Once the fireworks of Autumn have died down the excitement is all over for another year. There's nothing left to do now but sit out the dark months until spring. Or is there?

Step outside and you may be astonished by what you find there. Just as the last of the leaves are falling, many beautiful plants are just coming into their own. They may be more subtle than the dahlias and pelargoniums that any day now will be cut down by the first frost but many of them have a rare charm or an astonishing scent while others have fascinating textures or fruits that glow in the low sun.

So before you shut the door and retreat indoors, here's a flavour of what you could be missing if you give up on the garden for an entire season.

BEST FOR FLOWERS
Winter-flowering clematis (Clematis cirrhosa var. Purpurascens 'Freckles')
You'll need a sheltered, south-facing spot for this tender evergreen, but cosset it well and it will reward you with irresistible pink-splashed, bell shaped flowers.

Neapolitan cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium)
In Autumn these charming little pink, and sometimes white, flowers carpet the woodlands of the Amalfi coastline. They'll do the same in your garden too, increasing in number every year.

Winter-flowering cherry (Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis')
Whenever there's a mild spell between November and March, fresh blossom appears on this small tree.

Scottish Gardener:

Yellow Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
This reliable twiner flowers in even the worst weather, scrambling over walls and through other shrubs.

BEST FOR SCENT
Scottish Gardener:

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)
The yellow flowers of Wintersweet are infused with a spicy smell that carries on frosty air. Plant it in a sheltered spot and be patient, it could take up to seven years to flower.

Scottish Gardener:

Arrowwood 'Dawn' (Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn')
Clusters of small, red buds open into pink and white flowers all through the winter, giving off a sweet perfume.

Honeysuckle 'Winter Beauty' (Lonicera x purpusii 'Winter Beauty')
The flowers of this shrubby honeysuckle are small but powerfully scented and the plant will grow in even exposed positions.

Sweet Box (Sarcococca confusa)
You may have to look very closely to find the origin of the heady fragrance of Sweet Box, but if the flowers are insignificant the scent is impossible to ignore.

BEST FOR COLOURED STEMS
Scottish Gardener:

Dogwood 'Midwinter Fire (Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire')
Of all the dogwoods this is the brightest, it's red, orange and yellow stems having the appearance of flames.

Scottish Gardener:

Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
The arching stems of this tasty fruit are bright red and covered with bristles that trap glittering dew.

White-stemmed Bramble (Rubus cockburnianus)
The ghostly white stems of this well-behaved cousin of the hedgerow bramble make a graphic feature in the garden.

Winged thorn rose (Rosa pteracantha)
With their huge, blood-red thorns, the scarlet stems of the winged thorn rose are worth cultivating.

BEST FOR BARK
Scottish Gardener:

Tibetan cherry (Prunus serrula)
As it ages, the trunk of the Tibetan cherry takes on the appearance of polished mahogany. Traditionally the wood was used to make tea caddies.

West Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis var. Jacquemontii)
The white bark of this lovely birch take on an ethereal glow in the low light of winter.

Snowgum (Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. Niphophila)
The cream, grey and green patterns that swirl around the trunk of the Snowgum are offset by the red-tinge of the young stems.

Scottish Gardener:

Chinese Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)
Peeling off the chestnut-coloured bark of this maple is like unwrapping a present. It's elegant unraveling adds an interesting layer of texture to the garden.

BEST FOR BAUBLES
Crab Apple (Malus x robusta 'Red Sentinel)
For fruits that resemble Christmas decorations, this crab apple is unbeatable. It can be grown as a small tree or pleached along wires as a decorative screen.

Scottish Gardener:

Spindle (Euonymus europaea)
Pink and orange make for a vivid combination in the seed capsules of the spindle tree.

Scottish Gardener:

Beautyberry (Callicarpa bodinieri var.giraldii 'Profusion')
The magenta berries of callicarpa grow in clusters along the stems. It performs better when several are grown together.

Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles)
The small, gold fruits of this quince make delicious jelly, but if you can resist the temptation to pick them they will decorate your garden in winter.