Pansies. Remarkable as a winter plant, Pansies can survive freezing coldness and can thrive vigorously when summer returns. Its “smiling face” flowers are vibrant in color and fragrance that can fill up your space with so much joy.
In warmer zones, the winter planting window is wide open. You can sow seeds for winter vegetable crops, like salad greens, radishes, carrots, onions, Swiss chard, English peas and kale. Look for transplants of other cool-season vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower.
The most easily found is the crocus. I have seen these flower in late January and early February. The next easiest to find is the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis, Galanthus elwesii, and Galanthus plicatus). They are more common in Europe, but when I set out to have flowers year-round, this was a must to include.
VIOLA (Viola spp.) Like their pansy cousins, violas will keep on blooming through frosty weather and even a dusting of snow. In moderate climates, they will often bloom all winter long.
There are two December birth flowers: holly and narcissus.
Ornamental kale and cabbage are some of the most popular winter annual plants. They lend a completely different texture to a winter landscape bed. Once the plants are hardened by cooler night temperatures they can survive most cold winters.
Fall and winter vegetables can be started by seed from late August to mid-September, then transplanted into the garden later. Seeds should be started indoors where temperatures are cooler, then the seedlings slowly transitioned outside once temperatures cool down in early October.
Name: Helleborus sp. commonly known as winter rose or Hellebore. Belongs: to the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Origins: Europe to western China. Flowering: Winter to early spring.
There's no need to winterize them, since they won't go dormant and should continue to bloom throughout the year. But there are a couple of beneficial chores to complete so your petunias will thrive from November to March.
Any plant that is “hardy” in your zone is fine to plant in winter. These flowers have no problem with snow or frost and, in fact, need the cold. Here are some of my favorite flower seeds for winter sowing in January or February.
There are a few bulbs that are winter blooming flowers. Dainty and delicate, snowdrops (Galanthus) are true spring harbingers. No bigger than a dandelion, they bravely push through snow and even ice to grace the garden with their dangling white bell blooms.
From winterberry and paperbark maple to witch hazel and pink muhly grass, these winter plants are pretty, yet tough. They shine brightest in cold weather, because they add height, texture and structure to your backyard space. Plus, many of these colorful winter plants have wildlife benefits.
Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) is a good choice for an outdoor winter plant because it's an evergreen that keeps its leaves on its branches all winter long. It's drought-tolerant and thrives in both full and partial sun. Hardy to Zone 4, Japanese yews can survive harsh winters.
Choose The Right Containers
Terra-cotta and ceramic pots absorb moisture, which expands as it freezes and cracks the container. Metal, concrete and wood containers typically handle freezes well, as do fiberglass and resin pots. Some plastic pots also survive winter fine, but may become brittle over time.
The only plants that don't go dormant during the winter are annuals, which are only capable of surviving for a single growing season, and must be replanted each year for continual enjoyment.
January has two birth flowers—the carnation and the snowdrop.
The chrysanthemum is the official November birth flower. But there is also a lesser known second birth flower of November: the peony.
December ~ Narcissus & Holly
The primary December birth flower is the narcissus (such as the paperwhite narcissus) and the secondary flower is the holly which has small white berries that give way to the festive red berries that we see at the holidays. Learn more on our December birth flower page!