Containers By The Season - Winter

Containers can give colour and beauty for a whole year and Winter should be no exception. Although you may not spend long periods out in your garden it can still be seen from the windows of the house and some Winter colour and interest is usually greatly appreciated at a time when most of the garden is sleeping.

However, Winter is also the time when we traditionally take stock of our gardens and make a start on designing new projects so it makes sense to begin here and then work our way through the year.

Winter Colour
There are many plants (probably more than you think) that will flower in Winter and provide some cheer in a cold season. Look around and make a point of planting something that you can see from the windows of the house. On a cold day there is nothing better than to stand in a centrally heated room looking out at the garden and seeing some flowers in the midst of the jungle of dark, dull trunks and branches.

Position pots near to the window but also put some of the larger shrubs, like the mahonias and some of the viburnums, out in the garden at strategic points so that you can look for the small flash of colour.

Don't forget that, as well as flowers, you can also choose plants for their stem colour or for the shape and beauty of their leaves.

I posted a long post that contained some plants for Winter and a link to it is below. Although intended for outdoor use many of the plants, in fact most of them, can be grown in containers and will make excellent Winter plants for colour and interest. Don't forget that I live in the UK so these are plants specific to Western Europe.

My post of Winter plants from which to choose:

http://theidealgarden.blogspot.com/2009/03/few-winter-flowers.html

The list was not intended for container grown flowers but it will provide some ideas and to it you can add Winter pansies, some cyclamen, Bellis (Daisies), polyanthus, Hellabores, wallflowers and violas.

Protection
Don't forget to check plants and protect them by wrapping in newspaper or the excellent bubble wrap if there is a really cold spell and also check water levels.

Plants should be damp as they need water just as in summer so water if there is a prolonged dry spell but watch out for too much water as frozen roots can kill just as easily as too much water can rot the roots.

Don't forget that you can protect from the worst of the weather with shelter so bring sensitive plants near to the house walls.

Planning
Winter is traditionally a time when we plan our gardens for next year and the container garden is no exception.

Write down a plan for the summer which names of plants and positions of pots to give you a start once the warmer days of Spring arrive.

Write a list, too, of the plants that you would like to grow and I also make a note of any plants that I would like to propagate from cutting later in the year. I note the plant and in whose garden I can find it so that I am ready to ask permission at the appropriate time.

Most of all, don't give up on Winter, a selection of containers can help lighten the dark days and act as a reminder that Spring is on the way.