The garden is often gray and bare in winter - but not with winter flowers! You can find out which plants also flower in winter in our overview of winter flowering plants.
In winter, the garden is often gray and dreary - but that doesn't have to be the case: Winter bloomers provide colorful color accents in winter and enchant us with their bright flowers. In our article today we present the most beautiful winter flowers for your garden.
What are winter bloomers?
Winter bloomers are plants that bloom from the end of November to the beginning of February. However, these are not just winter-flowering perennials - trees and shrubs can also be winter-flowering. One thing that many winter-flowering plants have in common is their high level of robustness, especially with regard to low temperatures: Most winter-flowering plants are extremely cold-tolerant.
Tip: Although winter-flowering plants are often very resilient to cold and wind, their flowers are not always so. Anyone hoping for an extraordinary bloom in winter should therefore look for a location that is as sheltered as possible from the weather.
What flowers bloom in winter?
Flowers that bloom in winter? It really does exist - some plants have colorful flowers even when it's snowing and cold. We present the most beautiful winter bloomers among the flowers here.
1. Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger)
The Christmas rose is a true classic among winter-blooming flowers and a well-known favorite in the garden. The Christmas rose often shows its snow-white flowers in December, which is why it is also counted among the classic Christmas plants. Although the winter-flowering perennial appears quite delicate, it is surprisingly hardy and often flowers even in snow and ice.
You should only pay attention to the right location for the Christmas rose: It prefers an alkaline to neutral, nutrient and humus-rich soil that is neither too dry nor tends to waterlogging. In addition, a partially shaded location is ideal for this plant. You canBy offering such a place for the white winter bloomers, the Christmas rose enriches every garden with its beautiful blossoms. But not only people love the Christmas rose - due to its long, early bloom from December to March, the winter bloomer is an important food source for bees.
2. Lenten Rose (Helleborus Orientalis Hybrids)
Closely related to the Christmas rose, the spring rose is one of the classic winter bloomers in the garden. Although the spring rose starts flowering at the beginning of February (earlier in mild weather) than the Christmas rose, it is particularly beautiful to look at: in addition to the classic white and cream-yellow flowers, there are also variants with bright pink or black-red flowers. The colorful spring roses not only beautify the garden, but also attract numerous beneficial insects such as bees or bumblebees, which find a good source of food there. If you want to plant the winter bloomer, you should put on a permeable, humus-rich loamy soil with a slightly alkaline to neutral pH value. In addition, spring roses prefer partial shade under deciduous trees or shrubs.
3. Snow Heather (Erica carnea)
Pink bell-shaped flowers are the hallmark of the snow heather. From November you can already clearly see the colored flower buds on the plant. However, the main flowering period of the pink winter bloomer does not begin until February and can then extend into March. This early and long bloom makes the winter-blooming heather an important food source for insects. But the snow heather, which actually belongs to the dwarf shrubs, is also popular with people: the winter flowering plant is just as suitable on the balcony as a container plant, for the garden or as a decorative grave plant in winter.
In order for the snow heath to develop its full potential, a sunny to partially shaded location with moderately dry, well-drained soil is recommended. Good drainage should be ensured, especially when growing the winter bloomer in a tub - the snow heath reacts very sensitively to waterlogging.
4. Early Spring Cyclamen (Cyclamen coum)
The early spring cyclamen is a pretty perennial among the winter flowers: With its delicate white, pink or crimson flowers, the cyclamen species enchants people as well as bees, which find plenty of pollen and nectar in the plant. jeDepending on the weather, the early spring cyclamen sometimes shows its delicate flowers as early as December, but its flowering period usually extends from January to March. In order for the winter bloomer to feel comfortable, the location is particularly important: a well-drained and humus-rich soil, as well as a protected, partially shaded place in the garden are ideal for early spring cyclamen. So you can also grow the winter bloomer in a pot if you pay attention to a sheltered location.
5. Snowdrop (Galanthus)
Snowdrops are very common in our gardens. But did you know that there are 20 different species of snowdrop and almost 800 different varieties of snowdrop? These include not only early bloomers such as the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), but also real winter bloomers. The Queen Olga snowdrop (Galanthus reginae-olgae), for example, shows its white flowers from October to January and is also conditionally hardy here. The winter bloomers in the garden also include the Voronov snowdrop (Galanthus woronowii), which shows its pretty flowers from January to April. As typical forest plants, almost all snowdrop species prefer a sheltered spot under deciduous trees, where they are shaded in summer but have enough light in winter and spring. In addition, the winter bloomers prefer loose, humus-rich soil that does not dry out in summer. If you plant the snowdrop in such a location, it is usually extremely vigorous and robust.
Which shrubs bloom in winter?
Some trees and shrubs provide a splash of color in winter when they suddenly open their buds. No wonder, then, that winter flowering shrubs and trees are popular with many gardeners. We have summarized the loveliest winter flowering shrubs for your garden in our list.
1. Scented Snowball 'Dawn' (Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn')
With its light pink flowers, which also spread a pleasant aroma, the 'Dawn' scented snowball is a real eye-catcher in the garden. As a winter bloomer, the scented snowball 'Dawn' shows its flowers from January to April, in mild winters often even from November. The winter flowering shrub with pink flowers not only enchants people - insects are also attracted to the fragrant flowers. With a size of almost three meters, the shrubSuitable for almost any garden if you can offer it the right location: The ideal location for the 'Dawn' scented snowball should be sunny or partially shaded and sheltered from the wind. In addition, a permeable, nutrient-rich soil is an advantage, even if the winter flowering shrub is considered to be very robust and adaptable.
Lonicera x purpusii)
As early as January, the winter honeysuckle shows its cream-yellow tubular flowers and is a beautiful sight in the garden. But the winter-flowering honeysuckle is not just something for the eyes - the nose also enjoys the intense honey smell that the flowers exude from January to April. Early wild bees, butterflies and bumblebees are also attracted to the sweet scent of the yellow winter bloomer, which is why it is considered an important bee pasture. With a maximum height of two meters and a compact growth, the winter honeysuckle is also well suited for smaller gardens. The winter bloomer feels most comfortable here if you provide it with a semi-shady spot with loose, humus-rich soil.
3. Chinese Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)
The Chinese winter blossom opens its bright flowers from January to March (in mild winters even from December). The winter bloomer with the yellow star-shaped flowers also impresses with its vanilla scent, which wafts through the garden on sunny days. Unlike many other winter-flowering shrubs, the Chinese winter bloomer relies entirely on pollination by beneficial insects, providing plenty of nectar and pollen for early-flying bees, bumblebees, and butterflies.
The shrub, which is about two meters high, thrives particularly well when planted in a sunny to partially shaded location. In addition, the place should be as protected as possible, since the plant can react sensitively to temperatures below -10 °C. A loose, sandy-loamy soil with balanced soil moisture makes the location perfect for the Chinese winter flowering plant.
4. Slimeberry (Sarcococca confusa)
Even if the names slimeberry or meatberry sound daunting at first glance, they hide an evergreen winter bloomer that definitely proves to be an asset to the garden. the filigree,cream-colored flowers - which the shrub shows from mid-January to March - make the plant a real eye-catcher. With a growth height of only 50 to 150 cm, the slimeberry is particularly suitable for small gardens. Partially shady or shady locations are ideal for the plant, but above all it prefers acidic to neutral soil that can be well moist, well drained and nutrient-rich.
5. Mahonia 'Winter Sun' (Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’)
If you are looking for a winter bloomer among the shrubs, you cannot avoid the mahonia 'Winter Sun': The shrub lives up to its name and adorns itself with numerous bright yellow flower clusters from January to March. In addition to their decorative appearance, the flowers also have a sweet honey scent and are considered valuable bee pasture. With a maximum size of 1.50 meters, the mahonia is also suitable for smaller gardens - here the winter bloomer with evergreen foliage proves to be an attractive garden dweller even in summer.
In order for the mahonia 'Winter Sun' to feel comfortable, a partially shaded or shady, wind-protected location is necessary even in winter. As far as the soil is concerned, the winter bloomer is quite tolerant, even if it prefers nutrient-rich, humus-rich soil.
6. Winter Cherry (Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis')
For many gardeners, cherry blossoms are one of the most beautiful sights of the year. The winter cherry, which opens its first pre-blossoms in November and finally blooms into May, makes many hearts beat faster. The winter flowering ornamental cherry impresses with its numerous pink buds and delicate white flowers, which are decorated with striking pink calyx tubes. With a height of up to six meters and the picturesque, spreading crown, the winter flowering tree is wonderfully suited as a decorative house tree. In the right location, the tree is also considered to be extremely robust. A sunny spot with fresh, calcareous loamy soil is ideal for the winter cherry, which is generally considered to be quite undemanding. The winter bloomer is not only popular with humans - insects also appreciate the plant as an early food source.
7. Japanese Witch Hazel (Hamamelisjaponica)
Among the winter flowering shrubs, the Japanese witch hazel is probably one of the best-known representatives. No wonder, after all, the three meter high shrub with its thread-like, primrose-yellow flowers catches the eye from January to March. Insects in particular are impressed by the witch hazel, because the winter bloomer promises plenty of food. If you want to plant the witch hazel, you should pay attention to the right location: sunny or shaded, the plant is ideally kept in a sheltered spot in the garden. In addition, the Japanese witch hazel prefers fresh, nutrient-rich and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH value.
Not only winter bloomers can decorate our garden with their colorful flowers. In our article on spring bloomers, we reveal which plants will then impress with their blooms.