Winter Flowers - Yes You Can Have Four Seasons of Color
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010- Asters (fall blooming, and in some conditions these can also produce early winter flowers)
- Chrysanthemums (late fall into early winter bloom time)
- Ornamental kales (not a flower, but very interesting for fall, shading from greens to reds)
- Pansies (can flower in winter in some zones)
- Sedums (’Autumn Joy’ blooms red in fall and can go through early winter in some zones)
- Winter-flowering violas
- Spring Bulbs. You can also underplant your winter container garden with bulbs such as snowdrops, crocus,
tulips, and narcissus.
Ornamental Grasses:
Here are two good choices:
Feather Grass (hardy in zones 4-9, no winter flowers since it blooms in the growing season, but nice visual interest through the winter).
Miscanthus sinensis (hardy in zones 6-9, blooms through late fall with visual interest during the winter).
Winter Shrubs and Low Growers:
- Scotch Heathers Very pretty fall blooms and in some areas can go into winter flowers, with form interest through winter.
- Scotch Heaths: Pink or white late winter flowers, grows to 2 feet and is a lovely, dense green in winter.
- Wintergreen (a low, spreading shrub with red berries). Wintergreen grows in sun to shade. The plant performs best when planted in moist, acid soil, high in organic matter. Hardiness Zones 3 to 5 (6).
- Juniper: Try these two types: Shore Juniper (Juniperus conferta). This juniper is low-spreading and hardy from zones 6-10. Japanese Garden Juniper (Also a spreader, growing to 18 inches and hardy from zones 4-10).
- Boxwood: Always a great choice. You can allow boxwood to grow naturally into its mounding shape, or clip it for a great-looking topiary. And remember, boxwood also looks stunning along a patio, deck, or front yard entrance when planted in identical pots.
- Dwarf conifers: The following list contains conifers perfectly suited to winter container gardening.

