As days grow darker, wetter, and colder, our gardens have the potential to brighten with vibrant winter colours that uplift our spirits and sustain local wildlife. Whether in cozy patio spaces or expansive gardens, winter plantings offer not only seasonal beauty but also essential food sources for birds, bees, and other pollinators.
Here on the West Coast, we’re fortunate to have relatively mild winters. Even with temperatures around 10°C, bees and birds remain active, still in search of nectar and pollen. As natural food sources fade, our gardens become vital, providing these wintering creatures with the sustenance they need.
Many people don’t realize just how many winter-flowering plants are available to help our wildlife thrive through the colder months. Continue reading below to view our top winter plants.
Flowering Winter Heather
Winter heathers are completely unfazed by winter. Snow, ice and cutting winds leave their dainty bells shining in the weak sunshine. These tough shrubs are also a great winter pollinator with vibrant colour that pops on the dreariest of days.
Winter Pansies
These hardy flowers will bloom through the toughest conditions, all while offering the most cheerful of colours! Known to be low-maintenance and versatile you can expect to see blooms from fall through winter and into spring, providing long-lasting colour, and food for any pollinators that might still be active on milder winter days.
Early Flowering Hellebores
With a wide array of colours and varieties, it is easy and fun to find the perfect hellebore for your garden! Typically beginning to bloom in late fall to early spring, these cultivars are called the Christmas Rose for their bloom period during the Christmas season. These bold flowers stand out on our grey winter days and provide a source of pollen for the few bees braving the weather.
Deciduous Holly
A classic choice for a winter garden! Hardy to zone 3, it requires a sunny location and both a male and female plant for the best berry development. Its brilliant red or yellow berries are not only a hit with birds, but they also light up a winterscape. The berried branches are very attractive when used as cut stems in bouquets, and they are the most sought-after colour for porch pots during the holidays.
Winter Flowering Camellia
Queens of winter flowers,Camellia's are a very attractive evergreen shrub that are highly prized for their beauty. Hummingbirds are also huge fans of all winter blooming Camellias, and they often frequent these plants to enjoy their nectar. If we happen to get a cold spell, the open blossoms will freeze off, but once the cold is over, their buds will continue to open.
Pink Dawn Viburnum
Noted for its intensely fragrant pink flowers, Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' Is a strong-growing large deciduous shrub prized by most gardeners for its spectacular floral display. Opening from pink buds, clusters of pale rosy-pink flowers with purple-pink anthers appear on the naked stems from late winter to early spring. The flowers are followed by fruits that mature from scarlet to black in the fall.
Sarcococca ruscifolia (Sweet Box)
Small creamy white flowers in Winter, followed by dark red berries. A slow-growing shrub with arching branches of broad dark, evergreen glossy leaves.
Skimmia Japonica
Skimmia are perky evergreen shrubs that look respectable in the garden all year round but are especially eye-catching in winter! With their glossy leaves and festive red berries, skimmia are made for Christmas. What’s more, these compact evergreen shrubs are a super choice for small gardens, and they grow well in containers for courtyard or balcony gardeners. If you yearn to gather your own greenery for Christmas decorations but don’t have room for a holly, a couple of choice skimmias could be just the thing for you.
Come visit us today, and talk to one of our garden experts to find the right plants for your space!
