In the winter we need something to brighten up the dark and often dreary days, as well as the chilly weather. Flowers are something that can help with that, and over the festive season many people turn to a professional like this florist Tewkesbury based https://flowershedtewkesbury.co.uk for help to create a festive flower display.
But having beautiful flowers at Christmas time and throughout the winter is not restricted to indoors only. There are in fact lots of beautiful plants that can help to brighten up those dull winter days and add some colour to the garden, even in the darker and colder months. Here are a few of them…
Hellebores – These are commonly known as Christmas roses, due to the fact that they tend to bloom around the Christmas period and into January. However, they are not actually roses at all but are actually a member of the buttercup family! There is an array of available colours of hellebores, some hardier than others and some can flower at different times, so make sure that you look into the specific varieties and pick one that is suitable for the conditions in your garden. The good thing about this is the fact that there is such an array of types, that you are bound to be able to find the perfect one for you.
Winter Pansies – These bright and jolly little blooms are a popular bedding plant and also look great in a hanging basket or a pot. The winter flowering variety are a perfect choice for brightening up your garden in the winter months, and they really shine at this time of the year when there are not many other plants in flower. Winter pansies typically tend to be in flower from November to March so are a perfect way to add some floral colour to the garden at this time of year, that will see you into spring.
Daphne – These pretty shrubs are popular for two reasons – one is because of course they bloom in the winter, and also because of the fact that they are very strongly fragranced. In fact, in many ways, they are the ideal choice for a winter garden as they are low maintenance too, so are good for a novice gardener. To benefit the most from their beautiful scent, plant them near to the front door or along pathways so that you can enjoy both the sight and the smell of them throughout the winter.
Winter Flowering Clematis – Clematis are always a popular plant, with their gorgeous blooms. But you can also enjoy the winter flowering varieties in the winter, as they tend to be in bloom from November until March. Available in many different colours, from the festive red flowers of the balearica clematis, to the creamy coloured Clematis cirrhosa. They look beautiful climbing up a fence or trellis by the front door.
Planting winter colour in pots and containers
Pots and containers are a practical way to keep colour going through the colder months, because they can be moved into shelter if a hard frost is forecast. If you plan to leave them outside all winter, choose pots that will not crack or break in the cold.
Hanging baskets are more of a risk. They sit high up, exposed to wind that dries them out, so it can be worth taking them down as the weather cools.
For planting, true winter pansies keep flowering through to spring, pausing only in very cold snaps, unlike ordinary pansies that stop once the cold sets in. Flowering heathers are hardy, cope well with cold weather and often bloom from November to March. An evergreen shrub such as box adds structure all year and can even be clipped into a shape, giving the display a backbone around the seasonal flowers.
Winter flowers, stems and evergreens
Plenty of plants keep a garden interesting through the darker months. Witch hazel covers its stems in flowers until early spring, and Hamamelis mollis Pallida produces large yellow blooms. Wintersweet, Chimonanthus fragrans, also flowers along its stems until spring. For colour from around February, Daphne mezereum has reddish-purple flowers and Abeliophyllum distichum has white ones. Several of the best winter-flowering plants are also beautifully scented.
Shrubs that lose their leaves can still earn their place. Some reveal striking coloured stems once they are cut back, and others carry berries well into winter. A few well-chosen evergreen shrubs and trees keep the garden looking lush, and their green sets off the oranges and browns of other plants.
Keeping beds tidy over winter makes spring much easier. Specialist winter pots from garden centres are a challenge to keep going but worth a try for keen gardeners. For a final festive touch, wrap outdoor fairy lights around a fir tree.