Even though a chill is in the air in parts of the country, it doesn’t mean the gardening season is completely over—that’s right: There are plenty of plants and flowers that bloom in winter. Many perennials, annuals, and shrubs actually bloom in the coldest months of the year, sometimes when there’s still snow on the ground in colder regions. Before adding these plants to your garden, check your USDA Hardiness zone here to be sure they’ll survive winters where you live since it can vary from region to region.
Then you can start digging! Well, maybe wait until you read through our breakdown of the best flowers to plant for winter and how to take care of them for the best results… Some things to keep in mind: Perennials and shrubs need to be planted before the ground freezes so they can get their roots established, and in mild climates, you can plant hardy annuals such as pansies for much of the winter. With a little planning now, you can enjoy bright spots of color via flowers this winter when you need it the most.
Pansies and Violas
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.
Snowdrops
Also called galanthus, snowdrops must be planted in fall for a very early spring show. These darling droopy-headed flowers look best at the front of borders or in rock gardens and often start blooming when snow still is on the ground.
Daffodils
These sunny little flowers are usually the first ones to crop up in the early spring, but sometimes they can grace your yard as early as February. For the best results, plant your bulbs at least three weeks before the expected first frost. This will give the daffodils enough time to grow a strong root base.
Hellebores
These gorgeous perennials, also known as Lenten roses because they bloom around the time of Lent, appear in mid to late winter, depending on where you live. Despite their delicate appearance, they’re tough as nails.
Black Tulips
Black tulips, also known a Queen of the Night tulips, are the perfect moody winter flower. While tulips are usually associated with spring, they are actually pretty resilient and can withstand cold temperatures, so if you’re in a milder climate or feel up to the challenge, it’s worth planting these for a late winter/ early spring bloom (they need 8 to 15 weeks in the ground, so plant them during the fall).
Sedum
Need a hardy creeper or a colorful tall plant for the back of the border? Look no further than the sedum family, which includes both low-growing types and more upright forms. These rough-and-tumble plants survive both hot summers and cold winters. They’re also drought-tolerant perennials, so they’re real winners if rainfall is scarce in your area.
Calendula
Known as Calendula, this flower offers a great kaleidoscope of color to any dull winter garden. It has large orange and yellow petals that look like daisies!
Calendulas can grow well in mild winters and even come with flowers outside the range you might expect – some have creamy or apricot tones instead.
Grow your Calendula flower in an area with plenty of sunlight and water it moderately. Choose a soil that is well drained for growing these beautiful flowers, as they prefer not to get too wet or their roots may rot from sitting in too much moisture.
Nemesia
Nemesia is a winter flowering annual that grows to about 12-18 inches in height. It produces blooms with avid colors like red, blue, white and purple!
This plant can be used as an accent for your garden landscape or even indoors since it’s so easy care; just make sure you get the soil moist before planting nemsias seeds – then they’ll grow quickly into colorful plants perfecting any space.