Winter-blooming camellias display vibrant flowers against a backdrop of deep green foliage. On a clear day, sunlight illuminates the tiny, ribbon-like petals of Witch Hazel flowers as the fresh stems of early Hellebores sport new blooms that will continue for weeks. These are welcome reminders that spring is not far off. These plants create interest during winter, even before most bulbs flower, getting spring off to an early start.
Get a head start on spring with these reliable early-blooming plants that will add excitement to your during the dreary winter months.
Camellia spp. Their glossy, evergreen foliage adds structure to any garden, but they are trulty loved for their flowers. Cultivars like ‘Yuletide’ bloom as early as Christmas with others like ‘Pink Perfection’ following soon after.
Daphne spp. An evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub with numerous cultivars known for its powerful, sweet fragrance, making it perfect for planting along a walkway or near an entry. It typically produces clusters of pale pink or white flowers at the tips of its branches during late January and February. Most Daphne are best planted in well-drained soil in partial shade.
Lenten Rose (Helleborus spp.) Also known as the Christmas Rose or Hellebore, this hardy perennial offers color when most gardens are still dormant. The small rose-like flowers, which can be single or double and come in various shades from pink and white to maroon, bloom from mid to late winter. It’s a low-maintenance, long-lived plant that thrives in partial to full shade with rich, moist, well-drained soil, and is generally resistant to deer and rabbits.
Sweet Box (Sarcoccoca spp.) A small, shade-loving, broadleaf evergreen shrub that provides year-round green foliage. The tiny white flowers are inconspicuous, but their exceptional, sweet vanilla fragrance will fill the air in mid-winter, sometimes even noticeable from several feet away. Depending on the species, the fragrant blooms are followed by small, shiny fruit that turn black or red at maturity. Sarcoccoca is deer and rabbit-resistant and can be used as a border, hedge, or ground cover in shady garden areas.
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis spp.) The captivating flowers of the Witch Hazel open from clusters of buds along the stems before the foliage emerges. Small, ribbon-like petals unfurl when warmed by the winter sun. The blossoms have an incredible honey-like fragrance that scents the still, cold air even from a distance. Cultivars offer flowers in antique gold, copper, red, and brilliant yellow.
MORE IDEAS
Planning for a new garden or making changes to the one you have is a great way to anticipate spring and revitalize your garden before summer arrives.
Need more ideas? Contact me for a design consultation to learn more about what to plant this spring or how to maximize the impact of plantings in your garden.