There are many plants that work well in pots for winter adding much needed color to patios and terraces, among them winter pansies, violas, cyclamen, ornamental cabbages and snowdrops, to name but a few. 'Some spring bulbs can be planted in containers and made to bloom indoors during winter.
Fall and Winter LEAFY GREENS
A beautiful sampling of some of the leafy greens you can grow in your fall and winter garden, including different varieties of kale, spinach, lettuce, chicory, and even wild chickweed! Spinach is a very fast-growing, cool weather vegetable.
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. Herb transplants also appear in garden centers during winter.
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.
Clay and terracotta pots are prone to cracking in frost so they should be avoided in most cases as outdoor pots during the winter. Some good options for winter pots include fiberglass, wood, treated terra cotta, and plastic pots as they'll offer extra protection for your plant. You can even try out some window boxes.
Most evergreen conifers, however, that have a strong central leader, such as: Japanese red-cedar (Cryptomeria); fir (Abies); spruce (Picea); and cedar (Cedrus) can be covered in snow without it causing a serious effect.
SNOWDROPS (Galanthus nivalis)
True to their name, these early-blooming bulbs often emerge while snow is still on the ground to provide a breath of fresh air for winter-weary gardeners. In mild winters, snowdrops can flower as early as late January, but February or March is more common.
Pansies and Violas
These adorable flowers with little “faces” come in every color of the rainbow, and they don't mind a chill—so they'll last into late fall or early winter in many climates. In the South, they'll survive throughout most of the winter.
Regardless of which hardiness zone you live in, certain plants do tend to do better in cold weather than others. Flowers such as violas and crocuses are good options. So are snowdrops, hellebores, and heather. Even some types of roses can grow and bloom in winter.
Some plants tolerate frost and cold temperatures better than others. Plants always killed by frost include summer annual flowers and summer vegetables like impatiens, marigolds, coleus, tomatoes and peppers. Subtropical and Tropical plants are the most sensitive to frost (citrus, hibiscus and bougainvillea).
In the Winter Planter and Window Box, I used spruce tips, cedar branches, balsam, white pine boughs and dyed eucalyptus. I added in some faux, waterproof berries and some pine cones on picks. I love the different textures and the color contrasts.
Ornamental grasses are sturdy and can brave the elements and stay beautiful while they do it. Decorative berries are staples in any outdoor winter planter. Juniper, holly, and winterberry stems and their foliage are a beautiful addition to your pots and planters.
Pansies and violas bloom for most of the winter in mild climates, and some types will rebound in the spring in cold climates. They're technically annuals, but many varieties drop seeds so they'll come back again next spring.
Christmas Rose. This evergreen perennial blooms from winter to early spring depending on the selection and where you live (mostly early winter in warmer regions, and as late as February or March where it's very cold).
Hardy winter annuals include snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), pansy (Viola x wittrockiana), viola (Viola cornuta), sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), painted tongue (Salpiglossis sinuata), pinks (Dianthus chinensis) and nemesia.
Plants like chrysanthemums, nasturtiums and asters are wonderful choices for seasonal planting arrangements. While perennials that will survive the winter are great choices, autumn is also a great time to explore new ideas will short-season annuals too.
Depending on your region, there are a number of ornamental blooms that work well when planted in the month of December. Finding established pansies, primroses, and hellebores plants will give your December garden some beauty. Additionally, planting sweet peas and delphinium will make for a gorgeous springtime bloom.
For the best chance at success for keeping your garden alive through the winter, choose hardy native plants that are used to your area's climate. When the weather forecaster warns of an overnight freeze, cover your plants with burlap, an old sheet or blanket, or clear plastic.