The transition period between late autumn and the winter can indeed feel like an empty and colourless place in the garden. However, nature has not deserted us, and here is my guide to the best winter flowering plants that will add colour and scent to your garden and help to lift your spirits this winter.
Sonnet 73 by William Shakespeare describes the winter image:
‘When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang, Upon those boughs which shake against the cold…’
My guide to the best winter flowering plants
One of my favourite shrubs for winter colour is a Camellia and as it is evergreen, it will give you some structure and interest all year round. Some varieties flower in the spring, but for a wonderful late winter display, try Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’ with its large pink, semi-double flowers - it will light up your garden. This beauty will flower until the early spring and is suitable for a north facing aspect – perfect for a shaded border.
Another lovely winter shrub is Lonicera purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’. A member of the honeysuckle family, this strong growing, deciduous shrub has sweet-scented cream flowers on bare branches in winter and early spring. It prefers moist, well-drained soil in any aspect and can grow up to 2.5m if you have the space.
Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ (as the name suggests) is another winter favourite. This hardy shrub is a vigorous evergreen climber with pale yellow/creamy white flowers in the winter and early spring and does produces some fluffy seed heads in the autumn. This plant will need some sun so a west or south facing aspect should do the trick, but remember, clematis like their feet in the shade, so use some carefully positioned plants round about to keep the roots cool.
For scent as well as colour, try a witch hazel or Hamamelis in a sunny or lightly shaded spot in your winter garden. As this is a deciduous shrub, it will produce its wonderful flowers on bare branches in the late winter and looks wonderful when underplanted with early bulbs like snowdrops or crocuses. They are slow growing so the best winter flowering plant for a smaller garden, but eventually they can become large shrubs or small specimen trees if you allow them to grow unchecked. As well as sunshine, witch hazels prefer well-drained soil but not alkaline or chalky soils. Also plant out of the reach of cold winter winds as this may damage the flowers.
One of the most spectacular shrubs and best winter flowering plants to grow for autumn colour is pyracantha coccinea or ‘firethorn’ for the amazing flame-coloured berries it produces in the winter. It can be grown as a free-standing shrub or trained against a wall or fence for year-round impact and colour. The white blossom produced in the spring, contrasts with the dense green foliage providing early pollen for bees and the beautiful berries in the winter provide much needed food for hungry birds – a very wildlife friendly addition to your garden.
If you are looking for a smaller addition to add some colour to your winter garden, then look no further than a Hellebore. Sometimes know as ‘Christmas roses’ these gorgeous plants come in pinks, greens, purples and apricot colours as well as the traditional white. They can be grown in partial shade in quite heavy soil and will flower through the winter and into April in established clumps. Two of my favourite varieties are Helleborus niger ‘Christmas Carol’ and Helleborus orientalis ‘White Lady’ with semi-evergreen leaves and perennial white flowers in time for Christmas. Plant in shady borders to lift a dark space or in pots so you can move them round your patio for interest during the winter months.
If you would like further advice or information about the best winter flowering plants, please get in touch.
