Ask the Experts

Add Color to Your Winter Landscape 

December 8, 2020

A lot of people think of winter as an off-peak season for gardens. However, one of the best parts about living in Texas is that the cold season is not typically accompanied by freezing temperatures for an extended period of time. There’s no need to settle for a bare lawn – your winter landscape doesn’t have to be bleak, with a gray and white palette. 

Blooms during winter? You bet! You can dress up your borders and beds with plants that are perfect for the cold Texas weather. Evergreen perennials and shrubs offer endless possibilities for making your garden look great all year long. 

Cheer up your lawn with some cool-season sparkle – the subtle delights of winter berries, the dramatic appearance of unexpected blooms, and the different bark textures showing from their leafy covers. 

Here are some plant suggestions from the experts at Southern Botanical:  

1. Pansies

These winter-tolerant flowers are so undeniably adorable and they come in an assortment of colors – from sunny citrus tones to rich jewel shades. They will make great additions to your container displays and window boxes since they don’t grow too tall. Bonus points: they are edible! You can snip them off, toss them in salads, or press them into cakes and cookies. Just make sure that you don’t spray them with chemicals.

2. Snapdragons 

You would think that snapdragons are grown in the tropical sun, with their exotic appearance and vibrant display of colors. But these flashy flowers are actually better suited to areas with mild winter temperatures. They can give your garden height, with their 12 to 36-inch stalks. 

3.  Sweet Alyssum

This plant spreads quickly, making it a great groundcover for winter gardens. They thrive in cooler temperatures and can fill up borders and containers with delicate pale flowers that smell like honey. Since they are not as vibrant in color like snapdragons or pansies, they can serve as a neutral base for which you can add pops of color through other plants. 

4. Ornamental Cabbage and Kale

These edible plants can give you a lot of bang for your buck, since they cover a good amount of space. Kind of like a giant rose, they have layers upon layers of purple frilled and blue-green leaves that swirl around. Surely, they will never look out of place nestled among your garden flowers or in container arrangements. 

5. Winter Honeysuckle

This is a great plant that lies dormant for most of the year, only to show beautiful white, fragrant flowers come the holiday season. Consider planting them near your porch to add a pleasant aroma and festive flair to your home. 

6. Possumhaw Holly

The beauty of the Possumhaw Holly is not very evident – until the leaves drop and the frost comes. Then it reveals the striking color combination of orange, red, and yellow berries! It is a welcome splash of color during a dull time of the year. This tree can grow up to 10 feet but can be pruned and cut to train it into the shape of a small tree. If you are interested in growing a Possumhaw Holly, be sure to get the female variety, which produces the berries.

7. Lenten Rose

A native of Greece, the Lenten rose or Hellebore grows surprisingly well in Texas. It is a hardy evergreen perennial, which thrives on morning sun locations and shady areas. It loves cold weather and produces flowers in shades of pale green, rose, or white. 

8. Black Bamboo 

Do you have a spot that needs a plant that’s dramatic and tall to screen out the view? The black bamboo may be just what you need. Similar to other bamboos, the black bamboo grows fast and has tall, upright stems. It is also more manageable to grow than the yellow variety. Interesting fact: the stalks turn dark as soon as winter sets in!

9. Winter Daphne

This plant is another star performer in terms of fragrance. The shrub offers red or pink flowers and can grow about 4 to 10 feet high. The Marginata variety has green leaves with edges of yellow or cream. If you decide to grow this plant, be sure that it is mulched well all year-round to prevent drying out during the hot months.

10. Camellias 

We recommend Camellias if you are looking for a classic winter-flowering plant. Their fragrant blooms and glossy green leaves are always a welcome sight. It comes in shades of white, pink, and deep red. 

If you are interested in adding some native flowers to your winter landscape, consider the following varieties:

• Coreopsis
• Columbine
• Esperanza
• Spiderwort
• Gregg’s Blue Mist Flower
• Texas Betony

You might also be surprised to learn that quite a number of shrubs and vegetables in Texas can grow well in winter. Here are some of them:

• Swiss chard
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Rosemary
• Wheeler’s Dwarf
• Mexican Bush Sage

Now’s a Great Time for Landscape Planning

Want to transform your winter landscape? Now is a great time to work with a landscaping professional. Cold and quiet days are great for thinking about the placement of new structures and garden beds – when the trees are slowly getting bare and the perennial flowers have disappeared.

Winter is the best time to think about your hardscape. Is your landscape missing some focal points? The solution to enhancing your lawn might not be a plant or a tree. Do you think your lawn could be enhanced with a water feature or a nice walkway? How about an arbor, a trellis, a bench, or a garden sculpture?

Are damaged, dead, and diseased branches close to your home or driveway? You don’t want the snow to bring them down. Did you know that the best time to prune your trees is when they are dormant during winter?

It’s also easier and better to relocate plants when they are not flowering or growing. Winter landscaping will help protect your plants in the long-term!

Your Dallas landscaping company is just a call away. Southern Botanical’s expert team can help you plan, choose, plant, and install trees for your winter garden. Plus, we can get your landscape ready for the months ahead. Contact us today.       

Sources:

“Plant for Your Season – Texas Home and Garden,” Texas Home & Garden, https://texashomeandgarden.com/idea-center/landscaping/plant-for-your-season/

“Winter Plants for North Texas,” Fallas Landscape, https://www.fallaslandscape.com/winter-plants-for-north-texas/

“Texas Winter Gardening for Color,” How to Garden Advice, https://howtogardenadvice.com/texas-winter-gardening-for-color/

“Cool Weather Color for Your Landscape,” Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, https://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/homehort/archives-of-weekly-articles-davids-plant-of-the-week/cool-weather-color-for-your-landscape/