When I am walking around our neighborhood these days, it looks downright barren. In the spring and summer, people’s yards are in full bloom; they look and smell amazing. But, all of those spring and summer blooms have been cut back and pruned for the winter. This got me thinking about our planting choices. We are waiting until the spring to plant the parts of our garden that we didn’t get to this fall, and I would like to incorporate some winter blooms into our choices.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia
I’ve been researching plants that bloom in the winter and there are some great choices out there. One of my favorites is Hellebore, shown above. It apparently thrives in both shade and patchy sun and comes in pink, white, and rose. I think it would work well with the garden roses we have already chosen and create continuity in our garden all year.
Image courtesy of HGTV
Another beautiful choice is the ultra-fragrant flower of many daphnes, including Daphne bholua a.k.a. ‘Jacqueline Postill’, that appears in midwinter.
Image courtesy of HouseLogic.com
The delicate looking “snowdrop” is a plant that thrives when others are hiding for the winter. If you plant these bulbs in the fall, they will thrive in rock gardens and under taller shrubs.
Image courtesy of about.com
For very cold areas, Winterberry Holly Shrubs add a much-needed burst of color. The plant can be grown in partial shade or full sun and can grow between 3 and 15 feet tall.
Each of these winter blooms is lovely. I’m not sure which way we will end up going, but it is nice to know there are a few good choices for keeping flowers in our garden all year long.
