With the end of summer, we are faced with the situation that many of our plants located outside will not withstand the arrival of cold or frost. Let alone winter.
Some of them should be placed indoors to avoid any kind of problem. Others, should be sheltered in some way, but there are many species that will not need any kind of measure. In fact, some will grow and flower best in this period.
These are known as winter plants.
This type of vegetation is characterized by its ability to withstand low temperatures, its high resistance to inclement weather, and its autumn or winter blooming. Next, we will show you 5 ideal winter plants to decorate a garden.
Get ahead of winter!
What are winter plants?
With the arrival of fall, it is time to prepare our garden for the cold temperatures and weather ahead. One of the things we must ask ourselves is: do I want to have green and flowering plants during the winter?
Contrary to what you might think, plants don’t just bloom and stay green in the spring. On the contrary. There is vegetation that will fill your garden with life even in the fall and winter.
These plants are known as winter plants and are characterized by being hardier than the rest, by having evergreen foliage (usually), and on many occasions, by blooming even in low temperatures.
Herbs, shrubs, and even trees.
There is a wide variety of plants ideal for decorating a garden during this time of year. Choosing one will depend on your tastes and preferences. And to make this choice easier for you, we will show you five of the most popular ones.
The five ideal winter plants to decorate your garden
As already mentioned, winter plants are ideal for decorating the outdoors or indoors. This vegetation is characterized by its late flowering (autumn and winter), its foliage and its resistance to low temperatures.
If you’re thinking that it’s time to start growing the plants that will become part of your garden, you’ll be interested to read on, because below we’ll show you five very popular species.
Pansies, (Viola × wittrockiana), are hybrids widely used for outdoor ornamentation, as they fill the garden with life and color even in the coldest months of the year.
The most outstanding feature of the plant, and the main reason for its enormous popularity, are its small flowers. These are very colorful (from a single shade to three different shades on the same flower).
As you can imagine, they bloom during the winter.
The pansies are very resistant to low temperatures and even frosts. Don’t worry about keeping them outside, since even if they lose some of their flowers, they will reappear during this period.
If you are thinking about planting them, you should know to locate them in full sun or semi-shade. Use a loose soil that drains the water well (they do not tolerate waterlogging) and do not over water them.
Avoid getting the petals of the flowers wet when watering them.
The abelia, or large-flowered abelia, is a very resistant shrub with beautiful flowers. It stands out for its ornamental uses in both private gardens and public spaces.
This plant can reach a height of 3 meters, but it usually reaches 1.5 meters. It is a very branched shrub with “semi-persistent” foliage. Generally, the abelia has semi-double leaves that manage to stay intact during the colder months of the year.
The abelia, as mentioned earlier, is noted for its flowering. This small shrub produces tube-shaped flowers up to 2 cm long, pinkish-white with a reddish calyx that remains after it has finished blooming.
They develop at the ends of the branches.
The abelia is not demanding as far as cultivation is concerned. On the contrary. It adapts very well to almost any type of soil (except chalky substrates) as long as irrigation water is well drained. In addition, it requires organic fertilizer, abundant watering during the summer, periodic pruning, and full sun (for more spectacular blooming).
Known as Brassica oleracera, cabbage is characterized by its rosette-like growth during the first year. Widely used in decoration forming a group of plants.
Its leaves are fleshy, as they store the water and nutrients the plant needs to grow and survive. In addition, they are very colorful, and can be red, pink, yellow, or white.
The cold of autumn and winter is responsible for causing these leaves to magnify their hue.
A very curious aspect of the growth of Brassica oleracera is that, from its first year, the plant begins to develop a yellow inflorescence that can reach a meter in height.
This species reaches its maximum viscosity during the winter.
As for its cultivation and care, Brassica oleracea must be sown in a fertile substrate, watered regularly to prevent the soil from drying out or becoming waterlogged, and a specific fertilizer must be applied.
Spruces are trees of elegant stature, great resistance, and enormous longevity. Conical when young and cylindrical as the years go by, firs have many branches and are widely used in Christmas decoration.
Their leaves, one of the most important aspects of this tree, are acuminate, spiral in shape, and usually measure no more than 3 cm. They are dark green in color.
As for how to care for them, you should know that firs, although being very hardy trees, do not tolerate extreme temperatures (a temperate-cold climate is best). They prefer to be located in semi-shaded areas and need regular watering, cool soil and rich in organic matter.
We have already written briefly about ivy on this blog. Ivy is one of the most popular plants today because of its creeping growth and because it needs little maintenance. This shrub is one of the most commonly used winter plants for decorating gardens.
It has aerial roots that “stick” to the surface for climbing.
The leaves are perennial, so you will have an area that is always green and full of life. They are leathery, deep green, and evergreen. The flowers are small and are arranged in panicles.
If you are thinking of growing ivy in your garden, plant it in a shady (too much light can burn its leaves) and moist area. Use an alkaline soil that drains irrigation water well (it does not tolerate flooding).
This concludes our article. We hope it will be of help and inspiration to you when you decide to decorate your garden with these winter plants.