My 7 Favorite Flowers to Grow in Winter Containers

Do we have to endure the long stretch of winter without colorful flowers in our containers?

Of course not! Some flowers will continue to show their blooms from fall all the way to spring.

Others begin to bloom right in the middle of winter and others always seem to make their first appearance at the last snow of the year.

Together, all these flowers help us get through the winter without losing the pep in our step or the smile on our faces.

They are an explosion of happiness amid our otherwise sleeping garden.

(For more ideas on how to make your garden look good in winter, see my other blog HERE.)

Here are my 7 favorite flowers to grow in winter containers:

7 Favorite Flower to Grow in Winter Containers

1. Pansies offer abundant blooms from fall to spring.

Pansies offer great color in the fall, winter, and spring, making them a great choice to plant in your container EVERY YEAR!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Pansies take the prize.

They come in a multitude of colors and varieties.

Pansies will take you from fall to spring, enduring winter like a champ.

They offer a big bang for your buck and for your time if you plant them in your container in the fall.

They last for 8-9 months for me in my containers here in Zone 7.

If you want to know 8 easy steps on how to plant pansies in your containers for winter color, see my blog HERE.

I also give you all my pansy tips. So easy for the beginner gardener. Once you plant them, your will always plant them.

2. Violas are dainty fall-to-spring bloomers.

Violas are pixie flowers on an upright stem that just seem happy all the time. They will display color in fall, winter, and spring. A migrating Monarch butterfly found my violas this fall. What a treat!

Violas, also called 'Johnny Jump-Ups', are little doll flowers.

They are similar to pansies but have smaller blooms.

They sit on their upright stem as if they are jumping right out of the soil.

The faces of the violas are cute and cheerful.

Plant them in the fall, enjoy their color through winter, and then watch them explode in spring.

They spread, so with a little fertilizer, adequate water, and full sun, they will double, possibly triple, in mass in spring.

You won't regret planting these little pixies for great winter color.

For a step-by-step guide to planting violas in your winter containers, see my blog HERE.

Violas in winter are hard to do without!

3. Hellebores are roses for the winter garden.

You might have heard these flowers called "Lenten Roses."

They come in various colors and can handle the cold like no other.

Plant them in a taller container (so that their nodding blooms are more visible) in the fall.

Place them in part shade.

Mid-winter they will astound you with their blooms.

Part of their charm is their timing.

They bloom when it seems absolutely nothing else is.

After they bloom, you can transplant them into the ground in a shady area.

They will be hard-pressed to come back for you in the container.

They simply can't handle the heat of the summer.

In the ground, however, they are protected from the harshness of the heat and will return faithfully for you.

4. Daffodils signal the end of winter is near.

Right when you think you can't take another cold day, daffodils pop their bright yellow heads out to remind you that spring is coming.

There is usually a snow or two left in the season that falls on them.

They can handle the snow if it doesn't last too long.

They are my mom's favorite flowers so are special to me too.

Plant the daffodil bulbs in the fall in your container and enjoy the blooms that emerge at just the right time.

You can even plant them with tulips or other bulbs.

You can learn how to do that in another blog I shared HERE.

Or consider planting some pansies or violas on top of your daffodil bulbs.

5. Crocus pop out right in the middle of the snow.

These little flowers only grow about 6" tall but they pack a big wallop when planted in groups.

They bloom way before you think it's time, helping the gloomy winter days to pass with hope and expectation.

You can find a variety of colors that always look amazing but are especially so when they are popping out of a layer of snow.

Plant these bulbs in the fall in your container and let these pixie flowers be something to look forward to.

You can also layer bulbs like tulips or daffodils underneath the crocus bulbs.

6. 'Glory of the Snow' are little beauties in winter.

Glory of the Snow is planted in one of my fall containers and I am looking forward to the blooms this winter!

I planted these little beauties for the first time this fall and can't wait to see them in the spring.

'Glory of the Snow' or 'chionodoxa' is only 6-8" but packs a big punch when planted en masse or packed into a container.

It is known to spread relentlessly so make sure you want it before planting it in your garden.

I'm going to start out creating a winter container with them.

They will bloom right in the snow as the name suggests which creates a 'wow' effect.

I will keep you posted on how mine turns out.

7. Camelias bloom in winter!

Okay, be careful here. Only certain varieties of camellias bloom in winter.

Of those that bloom in winter, only a few will work in my planting zone, which is Zone 7.

I've never planted a winter-blooming camelia, but if it's anything like my 'October Magic' camelia, I want it immediately.

I am presently researching 'Donation' camelia.

It would look so gorgeous in a container on my back deck.

Keep in mind, they will not last forever in a container.

When the roots outgrow the container, simply transplant it to your garden.

(Also, I know this isn't technically a flower, but it will be covered in blooms so I thought you would want to consider it.)

Wrapping It Up

These are my top 7 flowers for winter containers, but you can also add directly to your landscape for winter color.

Although these are not flowers, here are some other suggestions that will give you the color you may be wanting in your garden in winter.

Try winter jasmine, nandina, winterberry, or Pieris japonica.

There are lots of ways to make your garden look good in winter.

Check out this post for my ideas: 7 Tips I Use To Make My Cottage Garden Look Good in Winter