How to Plant a Garden That Flowers for Christmas

Winter is often believed to be a downtime for many gardeners, with trees and flower beds looking bare. But the key to having a garden that flourishes for Christmas as much as it blossoms in the summer is to plant the right flowers.

To help you out, we at The Real Green Gardener have pulled together a list of plants that will add some winter warmth to your garden over Christmas.

Winter Flowering Clematis

While many flowers drop their colourful petals as the months get colder, this flower starts to thrive. This evergreen climber boasts bell-shaped, creamy-white flowers that often appear from late autumn through winter, bringing a touch of beauty to the garden when many other plants are dormant.

Pansies

Pansies, part of the Viola family, are beloved for their vibrant colours. These cheerful, low-growing flowers bloom in various shades of purple, yellow, white, and more, often showcasing "faces" due to their distinctive markings.

They thrive in cooler weather, making them perfect for fall and winter gardens, adding a splash of colour to pots, borders, or flowerbeds. Pansies are known for their resilience in frosty conditions, making them a favourite for winter landscaping, especially in the UK, where our temperatures can vary dramatically in such short periods.

Winter Heather

Another plant perfect for adding a bit of colour to lower down in the flower beds, Winter Heather produces small, bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink, white, or purple, adding vibrant colour to gardens during colder seasons. These will perfectly complement any yellow pansies or winter aconites also planted.

Winter Heather thrives in acidic, well-draining soil and prefers partial sun to full sun.

Ilex

Any Christmas lovers will want to add this to their garden as the Ilex, better known as Holly, is one of the symbols of Christmas. Known for its combinations of ever-green leaves and waxy-red berries, these trees and shrubs add festive charm to gardens over the Christmas season.

Sarcococca

Sarcococca, commonly referred to as a sweet box or Christmas box, is an evergreen shrub appreciated for its glossy foliage, small fragrant flowers, and sometimes colourful berries. It thrives in shaded areas and is known for its ability to flourish in challenging conditions.

The tiny, white, or pink flowers emit a sweet fragrance, especially noticeable during winter months, making it a delightful addition to gardens when a few plants bloom. The plant's dark berries add ornamental interest, often lasting into late winter, attracting birds to the garden.

Camellia

Camellia is a popular flowering evergreen shrub or small tree known for its exquisite, waxy blooms that add elegance to gardens. With a diverse range of varieties, Camellias feature lush, glossy foliage and flowers in various shades of pink, red, white, and sometimes yellow.

These resilient plants thrive in shaded or partially shaded areas with well-draining soil. Their showy flowers, which resemble roses or peonies, make Camellias a cherished choice for landscapes, offering beauty during the colder months.

Christmas Rose

The Christmas Rose, also known as Helleborus niger, is a captivating perennial plant that blossoms during the winter months, often around the Christmas season, hence its name.

Known for its delicate white or pale pink flowers, the Christmas Rose is a symbol of winter beauty. Its evergreen foliage and frost-resistant nature make it a favourite for cold-season gardens, providing charming blooms when little else is in flower. This Hellebore variety thrives in shady or partially shaded areas, adding elegance and a touch of magic to winter landscapes.

Snowdrops

With such a festive name, it would be rude to not include these in our winter plant round-up. However, they may not make an appearance quite in time for Christmas as they usually bloom in late winter and early spring.

They are named as such because they often appear when snow is still dusting the ground (in snowy locations).

Need Help Creating Your Winter Wonderland?

If you're a seasoned gardener, reading through this blog will be enough to get started. For those of you whose thumbs might be slightly less green, however, the idea of trying to plant these flowers during the winter might fill you with terror.

If this is the case, don't worry - we've got your back! Whether you're taking advantage of the lack of outdoor socialising to re-landscape your garden, simply need help selecting a set of plants that will work in your garden, or are concerned about caring for the plants in the chaos that ensues with Christmas and the festive season, we can help create the garden wonderland you've been dreaming of.

Our garden designers are award-winning and can provide several levels of design packages, meaning we can suit any budget. If you're happy with your garden layout but just need some guidance when picking the plants, take a look at our planting packages, as we'll select a variety of plants that will thrive in your garden.

Don't fret about having to care for your garden, either. Our maintenance team take pride in the work they do, so you can be confident that your garden will be kept immaculate all year round.

Interested in our help for your Christmas garden? Book a consultation online or give us a call on 01202 722943 today!