Best plants for winter pots..
Most of us happily place pots filled with flowers by our front door in spring and summer, and choosing the plants and filling the pots is usually a sign that summer is firmly on its way. But in winter, when it’s wet and cold and generally dismal, colour and life by the front door can be even more important. It’s a sign of welcome to visitors, and an assurance that spring will come again. So, what are the best plants for winter pots?
Violas and pansies
Winter flowering pansies deliver a splash of colour all through the winter. You can find them right now outside most supermarkets, and definitely in your local garden centre. Pop three in a small pot, or choose a larger pot and add some central height with a heuchera.
Heuchera
These pretty foliage plants come in shades of citrus green, red, purple and pink and hold their colour year round. Pop in pots now and they’ll provide colour, texture and height all the year through. They’re very hardy, so will do fine on a doorstep – just don’t forget to occasionally water the pot if it doesn’t get natural rainfall!
Cyclamen
Another small plant, with heart-shaped leaves and flowers in shades of pink from blush to cerise, or in white. These are perennials, so will keep coming back each year. Plant now, and then when they’re finished, just pop the pot in a border or hedgerow for the summer, then bring it back out next autumn.
Winter heather
Not our native heather, but from Switzerland, these low growing evergreen plants are dusted with tiny pink or white flowers from January to March.
Snowdrops
The first welcome sign of spring, snowdrops are marvellous scattered through borders, across the lawn and do well in pots, too. Find bulbs at your local garden centre. They start to flower after Christmas.
Primulas and polyanthus
Find a hardy primula and enjoy pretty flowers showing their faces from late winter through to spring. Your local garden centre will have what you need. Once spring is on its way, you can plant these flowers out into your borders, where they will ease back, only to pop up again next winter.
Tulips
Yes, we know these aren’t a winter plant, but if you want masses of colour from these gorgeous plants, in pots right outside your front door as spring ripens, now is the time to plant them. Grab some pots, half fill with compost and place the bulbs in threes or fives. Cover with compost, then plant winter pansies or cyclamen on top. Fill in around and over the cyclamen roots, water in and wait. It’s always an exciting moment in spring when you spot those first spears of green pushing up through the compost.
Eddie – Friday 20th October 2023. (Image used from Denbigh Villas, Chorlton).
