Top 5 Winter Plants For Your Garden

Hellebores

Hellebores are a perennial, frost resistant, flowering plant that is comprised of approximately 20 different species. They can grow to heights of up to 15 inches and produce flowers that have five petals surrounded by a ring of small cup-like nectaries. The flowers themselves can range in color, producing varying hues of white, pink and maroon.

The flowers of some of the species resemble wild roses, which have contributed to them being called "Christmas rose" and "Lenten rose", even though they don't belong to the rose family.

Witch-Hazel

Witch-hazels are deciduous shrubs that can grow to surprisingly large proportions. The range of growth is between 9 to 26 feet, but can achieve heights approaching 40 feet. Witch-hazel produces not only flowers but also fruit.

The flowers are comprised of four slender, strap-like petals, that grow to between 0.5 inches and 1 inch and can be pale to dark yellow, red or even orange. The fruit is a two part capsule containing a single glossy black seed in each. Once the capsule hits maturity it explodes with considerable force, projecting the seeds to distances of up to 30 feet.

Bergenia

Native to central Asia, Bergenia are an evergreen perennial plant that produce leathery, heart-shaped leaves and broad colorful flowers. The cone-shaped flowers are colored with varying shades of pink and can range from almost white to ruby red or purple. They can grow to approximately 2 feet in height and about the same in width.

While they do prefer sun, Bergenia can do quite well in shady areas. In addition, due to their hardy nature the plant is capable of growing in climates that experience extreme temperature changes.

Crape Myrtle

Also know as Lagerstroemia, Crape Myrtle is comprised of around 50 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs and is native to different parts of the southern hemisphere. They range in height from under one foot to over 100 feet tall. Most however grow to a small or medium sized multi-trunked tree or shrub.

They begin to flower during the summer months but can continue into autumn. The flowers they produce vary from deep purple, to red to white and with almost every imaginable shade in between.

Snowdrops

A flowering perennial plant that usually blooms during the winter months, with some species that flower during the spring or autumn. The flowers of Snowdrops are white and bell-shaped and are supported by a very slender and delicate stem. The plant can grow to height of six to 10 inches

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