In the spring and summer the garden was stocked with plenty of new plants. But which plants are actually hardy and defy the frost?
In many gardens and parks, a lot of money is spent on seasonal planting, which changes again and again over the course of the year. These expenses could be saved if such plants are used which, on the one hand, grow and flower from spring to autumn and, on the other hand, can survive the following winter months without damage. This can result in very beautiful designs that are also durable. It also becomes interesting when exotic species such as palm trees (Arecaceae), cacti (Cactaceae) or bananas (Musa) can be planted.
Winter-hardy plants are characterized by the fact that they can withstand temperatures below 0 °C for a certain period of time without suffering any damage. This winter hardiness can be divided into different winter hardiness zones (Z11 to Z1). Even if winter hardiness varies slightly depending on the region, it is best to select perennials with a winter hardiness of at least Z7 (about -15 °C) or below for your garden in our latitudes. How resilient a plant is is largely determined by its origin and can still be slightly modified by different species and breeds, but remains roughly the same.
There are far more hardy plants and plant groups than you might think. So it is not surprising that many ornamental grasses (Poaceae), ivy (Hedera) or Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) are hardy, but much more interesting This is the case with bamboo, succulents or herbs for the home kitchen. The following notes address all of these topics and show you the world of hardy plants.
Hardy balcony plants and flowers
The hardy flowers can be the focal point or a beautiful addition to any garden. There are also some representatives on the balcony, which sprout again in spring without any problems. The most popular plant species here are the bluebells (Campanula) or the group of purple bells (Heuchera). In the special articles on thehardy balcony plants and hardy flowers you will find a lot of helpful information and other plant examples.
Hard hardy exotics
One of the most exciting sub-areas within the hardy plants are the hardy exotics. Who would have thought that besides bamboo, bananas and other exotic plants could grow in our gardens? For example:
- Hardy Bamboo
Fargesia murielae, Fargesia nitida, Pseudosasa japonica - Hardy Bananas
Musa basjoo, Musa sikkemensis - Hardy Calla
Calla palustris - Hardy Cacti
Cylindropuntia imbricata, Echinocereus Reichenbachii, Opuntia imbricata - Hardy succulents
Agave neomexicana, Sedumspecies, Sempervivumspecies
You can find more detailed information on the individual plants and other examples in our article "Winter-hardy exotic plants".
Hardy Grasses
The long, narrow stalks of the hardy grasses form an excellent contrast to the rounded or oval shapes of the other plants in the garden. In addition to the well-known genera such as Carex or Festuca there are others with attractive properties. You can find helpful information and tips on using it as a privacy screen in our article "Hardy Grasses".
Hardy Creepers
The climbing plants decorate many a house wall or the rose arch. In order for these to be able to successfully grow over the planned climbing aids, it is of great advantage if the plants have a certain degree of winter hardiness, so that they do not experience any impairments in growth and in their willingness to bloom. We show you the top 10 of the most robust climbing plants in the article "Winter-hardy climbing plants".
Hardy Herbs
The hobby cooks among us are already looking forward to the small pots of herbs in the kitchen. But what if you could also cultivate and use your favorite herbs in the garden in winter? In addition to lavender and dost, there are many other robust herbs, which are presented to you in the article "Winter-hardy herbs".
Hardy Potted Plants
The world of potted plants expands the landscape of the garden even further, since you can also use non-native species well. Due to its position in the tub, you can bring the plant to your desired location in summer and to a sheltered place in winter. We present ten of the loveliest potted plants in the article "Winter-hardy Potted Plants".
Hardy Palms
In addition to bananas and cacti, there are also some palm trees that can bring the tropical feeling home. Plants such as Chamaerops humilis or Yucca filamentosa are just two representatives from the list of hardy palms. You can also read our special article on how to overwinter palm trees.
Hardy Perennials
Perennials make up a very large part of a garden's appeal, and if they're hardy plants, that advantage is permanent. Read the Hardy Perennials article to learn more about hardiness zones and which plants can withstand which temperatures.
Hardy pond plants
Of course, pond owners also plan to settle plants that require as little additional effort as possible and are still attractive at the same time. In the article "Hardy Pond Plants" we present hardy riparian plants, but also floating plants that can tolerate our freezing temperatures well. We also give you helpful tips for maintaining your pond.
Would you like to learn more about the overwintering strategies plants use? You can find an overview of this in our article “What do plants do in winter?”.