The winter solstice has passed, and the days are getting longer again. It may not seem that way in the depths of winter, and many of us feel restless and ache for the warmth of spring. For avid gardeners whose only solace is paging through their seed and bulb catalogs, winter seems interminable. Seed starting is still weeks away, and even our houseplants look forlorn.
It may help to know nothing stays the same forever, and there are warmer days ahead, but as gardeners here in the Mid Atlantic, we should not have to wait until spring to plunge our noses into the first fragrant blossoms. If you plan your garden selection with this in mind, winter gardening can be rewarding and satisfying. Perennials, annuals and shrubs need to be planted before the ground freezes to establish their roots, but once done, you can look forward to color year round. Here is a list of favorites that can thrive in our zone 7A.
WINTER DAPHNE
My first experience with this flowering winter plant came quite unexpectedly while strolling through the Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo, NC. It was late February, and a small cluster of shrubs was planted along a path protected from winds by a hedge of false holly. The tag read Daphne Adoras, or Winter Daphne, whose pale pink flowers were strongly aromatic.
These shrubs are slow to establish and detest being moved once planted. Their winter hardiness can be bolstered by selecting sites in protected areas of the garden. Daphne generally requires well-drained, sandy-loam soil. Poor drainage is a major cause of sudden death, giving these plants a reputation for being finicky. In heavy clay soil, raised beds amended with sand or gravel can improve drainage. Established plants have some drought tolerance, but soil should not be allowed to dry out. Summer mulching helps keep the roots cool.
Its charm is the strongly aromatic blooms that appear in mid to late February. All parts of the plant are poisonous, so it is truly deer resistant, although birds can eat the berries. It is a smallish shrub, about three to four feet tall and two to three feet wide that does not tolerate pruning, but the flowers can be cut and keep well in water.
PANSIES AND VIOLAS
As soon as the stores bring out their fall décor, colorful winter pansies and violas appear in the garden centers. These winter loving flowers bring vibrant pops of color to your garden beds and pots, much like their warm weather counterparts. Winter pansies bloom in climates that are relatively mild. Their tolerance of cool weather makes them three season plants. Once the heat of summer arrives, they quickly fade.
Winter pansies do best when planted in full sun but can tolerant a bit of shade. If rainfall is consistent throughout the growing season, avoid watering. Their root systems are sensitive to over-watering and could develop root rot. Plant them in well-draining soil rich with organic matter to avoid root rot.
The tiny violas are tough and tolerant of cold weather, even more so than pansies. One year I had an enormous pot of blue violas blooming on my terrace, and they thrived even during hard freezes and snowfall. Planted in clusters, they will add a bright spot of color to your window boxes, pots or flower beds.
HELLEBORE
There are numerous varieties of Helleborus, but it is the Helleborus niger or the Christmas Rose that brings so much pleasure to the winter garden. Unlike the more familiar Lenten Rose that blooms in spring, Helleborus niger cultivars are the first to bloom, beginning in November and continuing through late winter. A native of southern and central Europe, these hardy plants prefer partial shade and need some winter chill to thrive.
It features large, bowl-shaped, white flowers adorned with golden stamens. They perform best in rich, moist humus soil that drains well and is sheltered from strong winds. Hellebores should be planted from early spring to fall in order to get established.
If a hellebore plant does not flower, it may be caused by lack of light, especially if planted in heavy shade. Another possibility is lack of proper nutrition. This can be remedied by adding compost to the soil in autumn, and fertilizing in late March or early September with an organic bloom booster.
CROCUS
While late winter snows cover the ground, crocus blooms open even though nighttime temperatures drop belong freezing. Crocuses are winter hardy and, like many early spring-blooming bulbs, they need a cold winter in order to bloom properly. This means at least ten weeks of temperatures at or below 45 degrees.
They come in a multitude of colors: purple, blue, yellow, lavender, cream and white. When warming days draw out the first bees, crocuses supply them with much needed pollen. Crocus bulbs can be planted in full sun or partial shade since the bulbs bloom and die back long before most deciduous trees and shrubs have leafed out. This means they are suitable for planting in areas that may be shaded later in the year.
Crocus bulbs are small and only need to be planted about three inches deep, so they can be tucked into small planting beds, rock gardens and around trees. They look best when planted in clumps or drifts, and over time these carefree bulbs will naturalize and multiply to produce more flowers every year.
DAFFODIL
In late February, the Middle Peninsula’s wild daffodils burst forth along roadsides, in farm fields and in woodlots where old homesteads once stood. The daffodil is synonymous with spring and rebirth. Mountains of books have been written on the subject, and they remain cool weather favorites for many gardeners.
Often used interchangeably, the names daffodil and jonquil do have unique characteristics. All daffodils fall under the botanical name Narcissus, but a jonquil indicates just one type of Narcissus, Narcissus jonquilla and its hybrids. Some daffodil flowers are lightly scented, while jonquils are highly perfumed. Daffodils thrive year after year, while in our region jonquils may succumb to an extremely cold winter.
Of the more than 40 Narcissus species, most have blossoms in shades of yellow, but there are also white, orange, pink, and bicolor cultivars. Daffodils are great entry-level plants for novice gardeners. Some prefer late winter, while others bloom in early, mid or late spring. Planted enmasse, they add drama to the garden.
Most daffodils need a cold dormant period, which is why they are typically planted in the fall. For the most part, daffodils are pretty hardy, but if you have poor soil or the plants are not flowering as much as they should, top dress with bulb food when the leaves first emerge. As their blooms fade, the top portion of each flower stem can be removed, but leave the foliage in place until it begins to yellow and turn brown, as the plants are restoring the bulbs during this time.
CAMELLIA
It is early December and my bright red Yuletide Camellia is in full bloom! Imagine having an evergreen flowering shrub that brings color to the bleakest winter days. Fall camellias begin blooming in September and continue through much of December, and even into January. As an evergreen, this shrub can be used as a hedge, foundation planting or accent plant in any area of your garden. It makes a gorgeous cut flower for a holiday table arrangement.
Yuletide Camellias are nearly maintenance-free, drought tolerant and do not require pruning unless you want more voluminous blooms. It is compact and slow growing, reaching six to eight feet high and wide over a period of several years. Plant camellias in partial shade in humus rich, well-drained soil and in an area protected from strong winds.
WINTERBERRY
Let’s turn away from flowers now and talk about the other bright spot in the winter garden: berries. I bought my first Winterberry from Winterthur Garden in Delaware. I waited several years for it to bear fruit before learning that this holly is dioecious, which means that they are either male or female. The two must be planted near one another to ensure the female plant is pollinated to produce berries. Once I rectified the problem, the berries came forth in profusion. Not only that, but its tiny white spring flowers drew pollinators like a magnet.
A slow-growing shrub with rounded upright growth, Winterberry typically grows three to fifteen feet tall, sending out suckers to form dense thickets. In winter, the berries attract a number of berry-loving birds like bluebirds, mockingbirds, and migrating robins and cedar waxwings.
Unlike more familiar hollies, winterberry is deciduous rather than evergreen. This may seem a drawback, but its fallen leaves leave behind an exciting display of red berries highly visible during the winter months. Winterberry holly is often associated with the Christmas season, and their berry-laden stems are used to add color to evergreen arrangements.
There are many other winter loving plants to explore: winter honeysuckle, snowdrops, creeping veronica, winter jasmine and some varieties of primrose. There are varieties of hollies with bright berries. Red Twig Dogwoods sport red stems and twigs, and the colder the weather, the redder they look. The list seems endless. So put down your seed and bulb catalogs, grab your boots and gardening gloves, and get your gardens ready. You will be amazed at the number of plants available to brighten your garden next winter!