While you may be feeling a bit glum as winter approaches, that doesn’t mean your gardening needs to end. You can still showcase your green thumb throughout winter with some simple and beautiful outdoor planter ideas.
While not everything can survive and thrive during the winter, there are lots of ways to celebrate the cold with pops of color, texture, and visual interest. With proper planning and care, you can have outdoor planters and pots that survive during the winter.
Above all, you want to incorporate plants and features in your outdoor planters that can withstand the winter temperatures and precipitation. There are many plants that are great transition plants that can go from autumn to winter and keep their beauty and vitality.
Dogwood twigs in shades of red or yellow are perfect for adding texture, height, and color. Dogwood twigs can withstand most conditions and just require regular pruning.
Evergreen shrubs like boxwood and juniper will stay forever green in your outdoor planters this winter and beyond. Evergreen shrubs make for a perfect base in your planter. You can start by choosing your evergreen element and designing the rest from there. Pro tip: growing evergreens in containers requires special winter care and protection since they are not planted and protected by the depths of the ground. Mulch, watering and perhaps an insulated container are all good options.
Ornamental grasses and ornamental kale provide color and texture well into the depths of winter. Tall ornamental grasses add stunning height to your winter planters, and ornamental kale is a glorious centerpiece. Ornamental grasses are sturdy and can brave the elements and stay beautiful while they do it.
Decorative berries are staples in any outdoor winter planter. Juniper, holly, and winterberry stems and their foliage are a beautiful addition to your pots and planters. You can also incorporate winter berries into other outdoor crafts like wreaths. Using the same foliage throughout your outdoor decor can create a cohesive wintery wonderland aesthetic.
Making sure your winter planters survive the chilly outdoors involves a few considerations before and after planting.
Choose a non-porous but well-draining planter: Avoid clay or concrete planters, which are prone to cracking in the cold. Plastic and resin planters are a better option to protect your plants. You’ll always want a planter that has drainage holes: excess water leftover in the planter can freeze and destroy your plants.
Plant them early: Getting your planters ready for the winter requires a bit of a transition. Try to get your planters ready and outside during fall so they can adjust to the gradual shift in temperature. It also gives your new plants a chance to settle into their new container and put down healthy roots.
Don’t forget the water! The most common downfall of outdoor winter planters: a lack of water. Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean your plants don’t need a drink. Before winter hits, give your planters a good, deep drink. Then, water whenever they get dry and aim to water them during the morning hours.
If you’re looking for more inspiration for your winter plants, we’d be happy to help! Come visit one of our Greenstreet Gardens locations to check out our winter plants for sale in Alexandria, Belle Haven, or Lothian.
Incorporating these plants into your outdoor plants is quite simple. You can always use the “thriller, spiller, and filler” rule, which means to use bold and tall plants to thrill and stand tall in the center or back of the pot, vining or cascading plants that spill over the edge of the planter, and filler plants, like evergreens, to fill in the gaps. Besides that rule, you can get creative with the color palette for your outdoor winter planter. Keep it neutral with earthy elements like pinecones and grasses, or brighten it up with bold berries and bright ornamental plants for a focal point. Another element to consider: smell! Nothing smells better than fresh evergreen clippings or freshly cut wood. Designing a winter planter for your outdoor area may take a bit of finessing: view it from multiple angles and add or take away elements as needed.
If you want to bump up the holiday cheer in your outdoor winter planters, add berries like holly, winterberry, or mistletoe. You can also add tiny conifers to your winter planters to create a miniature Christmas tree scene; you could even decorate the trees with small ornaments and delicate fairy lights. Holiday-themed planters are great backdrops for pet portraits on your own porch.
At Greenstreet Gardens, we take pride in the fact that our number one goal is to make our customers successful.
Equipped with a diverse wealth of information and a knowledgeable staff, we are confident that we are able to provide all of the right tools and plant material necessary to help make your gardening ideas become reality.
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