Winter container plantings are a festive and fantastic way to rejuvenate your entryway, porch, or patio with a fresh new look that will last from the Holidays all the way to Spring!
From plant selection to specific Winter care, we give you all the best tips and tricks to make your containers shine even when the weather is dismal! Check out our custom drop-in pot creations in store, follow our mood board recipes, or come browse our plants at any one of our Portland-area nurseries for even more inspiration.
Plant Selection for Winter Container Gardens
Winter container plantings rely primarily on hardy, evergreen plants to carry them through the cold while still providing interest and excitement.
Install a few foundational pieces and use supplemental materials like 4-inch color spots such as pansies and violas or small grasses and herbs to fill in the rest of the containers. It never hurts to follow the classic “thriller, filler, and spiller” container recipe. And in the Winter, you can even use cut evergreen branches or colorful stems from brightly colored deciduous shrubs like twig dogwood to help add some extra oomph to your containers!
Our Favorite Hardy Evergreen Thrillers
Dwarf Conifers provide gardeners with endless options when it comes to color, texture, and size. Check out our Dwarf Conifer blog article for more ideas!
If flowers are your goal, Winter Camellias are the plant for you! Hummingbirds adore the big, sturdy flowers that come in a range of colors from white to pink to red. Learn more about Winter Camellias here.
Evergreen Shrubs are a fantastic structural element, whether left in containers year-round or transplanted out into the garden when you want to change out your container plantings.
The hardy evergreen plants you include in Winter container plantings may or may not be the plants you want to work around for your Summer container combinations. Even though many Winter container plants are evergreen and hardy, remember, the choice to include them in future combinations is up to you! All of these plants will make fantastic additions to the landscape if transplanted come Spring or Summer.
Stunning Winter Container Plant Combinations
Create a traditional, festive planting using rich, vibrant reds and mahogany accents against deep green and celadon foliage for a container that gives your space a cozy, nostalgic look.
1) Yuletide Camellia, 2) Mugo Pine, 3) Feather Falls Carex Grass, 4) Heuchera, 5) Wintergreen, 6) Primrose
Warm up your porch pots with the classy and charming combination of chic amber and gold tones alongside creamy whites and deep shades of green.
1) Columnar Yew, 2) Hellebore, 3) Heather, 4) Heuchera, 5) Pansy, 6) Alba Periwinkle
For a modern approach, pair clean white and calm, dreamy blues to create a look that is cool in every possible way.
1) Blue Spruce, 2) Dusty Miller, 3) Hebe, 4) Hellebore, 5) Pansy, 6) Blue Carex Grass
Cheer up with this whimsical plant palette that combines pale pink and magenta flowers and eye-popping bright greens for a look that is sure to enchant.
1) Pink-A-Boo Camellia, 2) Everillo Carex, 3) Heather, 4) Cyclamen, 5) Winter Fiesta Wintergreen, 6) Pansy
How to Plant & Care for Winter Container Gardens
Plant growth is significantly slower in the Winter months, which means that while containers still require care, the goal is more about sustaining healthy growth and supporting Winter blooms than it is about “pushing” plants to grow and perform. It is also wise to plant a bit more densely to make up for the fact that growth will be slowed.
Soil for Winter Container Gardens
Use quality potting soil and amendments when planting your Winter containers. However, because growth is slower during the Winter, you can explore options for using existing soil and adding supplemental amendments. Here are three options for repotting your containers to get the most out of your Winter plantings:
- Replace all soil—this is a great time to change out your soil if you haven’t since Summer, as soil becomes “tired” over time and loses its ability to hold and release moisture, in addition to becoming devoid of nutrients. If you replaced your soil in the Fall, you can explore options 2 and 3.
- Remove soil and mix compost or worm castings into old soil before putting it back into container. We recommend Malibu Compost and WormGro for “recharging” old soil.
- At the bare minimum, refresh the top third of the container with fresh soil or amend it with worm castings or compost.
- Apply only slow-release fertilizers to the soil at planting time and once more during growing season in February. Opt out of liquid fertilizer formulas that may stress plants rather than support them. Osmocote or G&B Organic Rose & Flower Food or All Purpose blends are great forms of slow-release nutrition.
Watering Winter Container Gardens
Rain will provide the majority of your container planting’s water needs unless it is under an eave or covered porch.
- If rain does not water your container, you will need to hand water at least weekly. Water more frequently at the beginning when plants are young and temperatures are high.
- In general, container plants need about half as much water in Winter as they do during Summer.
- Remove your drainage saucer so it doesn’t fill up with rainwater and waterlog plants.
- BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SIGNS OF OVERWATERING, including fungal growth on hellebores and pansies. If black, moldy leaves are present, reduce watering and remove effected leaves/stems.
- If container planting sits against the house with sun exposure from only one direction, it is best to rotate the container monthly to prevent the plants from growing towards the sun.
Protecting Container Plantings from Extreme Cold
Pay attention to the weather forecast, and if we receive a winter storm warning or if temperatures are predicted to drop below freezing, take extra caution to protect your Winter container plantings.
- Make sure all container plantings are well watered before freezing temperatures arrive—wet soil will better protect plant roots from damage.
- Tender plants, broadleaf evergreens, or plants with Winter blooms benefit from physical protection like frost cloth, burlap, sheets, or blankets during extreme weather. You can also wrap pots with bubble-wrap for insulation, then cover with a sheet or blanket.
- Find more Cold Weather Protection tips over on our associated blog!
Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Centers are fully stocked with all the plants, soils, fertilizers, and pottery you need to create your perfect Winter container planting! Come find inspiration from our example plantings, pick up a ready-to-go drop-in pot, or browse the bounty of plants on our benches. Even in the wintertime, we receive regular shipments of flowers and plants for Winter interest, all grown at local Pacific Northwest growers!