Carol Klein’s Favorite Winter Flowers
Winter in the garden can be just as beautiful as any other season, with its own unique qualities. The light is low, creating dramatic scenes and backlit vignettes, and the plants that bloom in winter are special and endearing.
Carol Klein, a well-known gardener and TV presenter, has picked her favorite winter flowers for a variety of situations. Here are some of her top choices:
Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’
This snowdrop has a delicate scent and large, rounded white bells with a glorious honeyed perfume. It’s a winner in every way – one of the best for all-round garden value, with a compact yet graceful form. It’s trouble free and increases well.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Flamingo’
This ornamental grass has great stature and presence, with magnificent, long-lasting, plume-like seedheads that make an outstanding feature in the winter garden. ‘Flamingo’ is one of the smallest varieties, with silky pink tassels that cascade softly.
Arum italicum ‘Marmoratum’
As the clustered orange berry-like fruits disappear, the foliage of this plant starts to appear. One glossy-green arrowhead follows another, from winter into spring, unfurling to reveal ivory ribs and veins. They seem impervious to even the most dreadful weather.
Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’
Every year, the breathtaking flowers of this early winter color dwarf iris appear in the first few weeks of the year. Their coloring is other-worldly, or sub-aquatic – green-grey mixed with marine blue, the petals strikingly marked with darker blue lines.
Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Pallida’
This witch hazel is irresistible and one of the first to flower. Its slender-petalled, pale-lemon blooms often open in early December, and have a wonderful scent – a mix of honey and nutmeg – that carries well.
Sarcococca hookeriana
Christmas box, or sweet box, is one of the most desirable winter-flowering shrubs. As temperatures start to fall, it fills the air with sweet perfume, wafting from its small whitish flowers for several months.
Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’
This daphne fills the winter garden with exquisite perfume, produced by its clusters of pinky-white flowers. Plant it close to the door you use most, so you can get a daily dose of its heady fragrance.
Hellebores
The splendid flowers of hellebores give mesmerising colors and patterns throughout winter. Established plants produce several sturdy dark-red stems, each carrying bunches of lime-green bells edged with crimson.
How to Choose the Best Winter Flowers for Your Garden
When choosing winter flowers for your garden, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Consider the amount of sunlight your garden gets. Some winter flowers, such as snowdrops and hellebores, can tolerate shade, while others, such as witch hazel and daphne, prefer full sun.
- Think about the size and shape of your garden. If you have a small garden, you’ll want to choose compact varieties of winter flowers. If you have a large garden, you can plant larger varieties or create a winter flower bed.
- Choose flowers that bloom at different times of winter. This will ensure that you have flowers in bloom throughout the winter season.
Where to Buy Winter Flowers
You can buy winter flowers from a variety of sources, including:
- Local nurseries
- Online retailers
- Garden centers
Tips for Growing Winter Flowers
Here are a few tips for growing winter flowers:
- Plant your flowers in well-drained soil. Winter flowers don’t like to sit in wet soil, so make sure to plant them in a spot that drains well.
- Water your flowers regularly. Winter flowers need to be watered regularly, especially during dry spells.
- Fertilize your flowers monthly. Winter flowers benefit from a monthly application of fertilizer.
- Protect your flowers from the cold. If you live in a cold climate, you may need to protect your winter flowers from the cold by covering them with a blanket or mulch.
With a little care and attention, you can enjoy beautiful winter flowers in your garden all season long.
