Even though winter is often a little gloomier than the other seasons, that’s no reason to give up on introducing vibrant and hardy blooms to your outdoor space. There are plenty of seasonal plants which are happy to thrive despite the chillier days and nights so there’s always an opportunity to add some colour to your garden!
We’ve put together a list of 10 of our favourite winter potted plants to brighten up any planter.
Violas & Pansies
Dainty and stunning little blooms that come in a range of colours and hues, perfect for accentuating a dull container. Pansies and violas tend to flower from autumn to spring, bringing vibrancy to your garden even during the winter months.
Snowdrops
Snowdrops are a late winter staple which adorn the winter landscape with their double, snowy white flowers. Usually flowering from January to March, these make the perfect addition to a winter container and will bring joy with their small pale petals.
Cyclamen
Lovely, bright perennials with uniquely shaped petals that come in a variety of reds, purples, pinks and whites. A cyclamen’s flowering period is from autumn to spring depending on the exact variety and are relatively hardy so easy to care for in any kind of container!
Ajuga
An evergreen plant with interesting leaves, the ajuga plant is great for filling in containers, bringing in some winter colour while also being hardy.
Primulas
Primulas are frost-hardy plants that will survive the harshest of British winters and on top of that are a beautiful addition to any garden border, flower bed or container. There are lots of different kinds of primulas you can choose from and each come in a large range of colours, meaning you can truly personalise your winter container.
Heucheras
Also called coral bells, are easy to grow evergreen perennials you can rely on year after year and retain most of their colourful foliage through the winter months. These plants are quite frost-hardy so there’s no need to worry about bringing them in even on the coldest winter days/nights.
Hellebores
Hellebores are a fantastic alternative to bedding plants in the depths of winter. These crimson coloured perennials adorn pots with their delicate petals every cold season with their intricate blooms and can be a gardener’s saving grace when other blooms seem to perish.
Carex
Evergreen short grasses, carex plants are a slightly different option to the others we’ve listed, but make for a stunning addition to a container especially when paired with some colourful blooms. They are relatively hardy but will need taking care of if the weather gets too frosty.
Heathers
Flowering from winter to spring, heather is a stunning bloom to have in your garden with its striking blooms. This plant is also evergreen, meaning that even out of its flowering season, the plant will continue to provide your garden with some beautiful green hues.
Nandina Plants
With elegant elliptical leaves and fantastic autumn colour, these plants are best when left alone in a container. Nandinas will undoubtedly enrich your garden with a mix of vibrant colours throughout the seasons.
There’s a plant for you!
There are lots of beautiful options for container plants for winter, we’ve listed some of our favourites, but there are plenty more. From perennials to bedding plants and even lots of flower bulbs and tubers. If flowers aren’t your thing, why not dabble in trees? There are plenty of tree options for any size garden, from bare root to potted.