You can grow winter flowers in pots and get great results with the right plants. Pansies, violas, cyclamen, and ornamental kale all do well in containers. Winter heath and small hellebores work great in pots too. You don't need a garden bed for winter color at all. A front porch, back patio, or apartment balcony works just fine for you.
I've kept a container winter garden on my front porch for the past four years and learned a lot about what works. My best performers are pansies and ornamental kale in frost-proof ceramic pots. Fiberglass containers also hold up great in freezing weather. Thin terracotta is a different story. I lost three nice pots my first winter when they absorbed water and cracked during a hard freeze. Spend the extra money on quality pots and you won't have to replace them every spring.
The biggest challenge with growing winter flowers for pots is temperature exposure. Roots in containers face much colder conditions than roots in the ground. A garden bed has soil mass that insulates roots from extreme swings. A pot sitting on a porch has only a few inches of soil between the roots and freezing air on all sides. That small soil volume freezes faster and colder than in-ground soil. The fix is simple. Choose plants rated 1-2 USDA zones colder than your area. If you live in zone 7, pick plants rated for zone 5 or 6.
Your container setup matters just as much as the plants you choose. Use pots that are at least 12 inches (30 cm) wide so the roots have enough soil volume for insulation. Every pot needs drainage holes on the bottom since standing water will freeze and kill roots fast. Fill with a well-draining potting mix rather than garden soil, which compacts and holds too much moisture. Group your pots together against a south-facing wall where the building provides warmth and blocks north winds.
Creating a display that looks good takes some thought about combining shapes and textures. Plant upright pansies in the center of each pot for color. Add trailing ivy around the edges to spill over the rim and soften the look. Tuck ornamental kale next to the pansies for bold texture with its frilly purple and white leaves. A single pot with this combo looks full and interesting all winter long. Use three or five pots in a group since odd numbers create better balance on your porch or along your steps.
Caring for potted winter plants through the cold months takes less work than you'd expect. Water only when the soil feels dry and the temperature is above freezing. Wet soil on a freezing night damages roots more than dry cold does. Wrap your exposed pots with bubble wrap or burlap when a cold snap is coming. Do this when temps drop more than 10 degrees below your zone rating. Move lightweight pots against the house wall on the coldest nights for extra protection.
I tested this setup on my own porch two years ago and now I can't imagine winter without it. A few containers turn a bare porch into something you want to look at every morning. Start with three pots of pansies and kale this fall and build from there. You can expand your collection next year once you see what works best in your spot. The color and life they bring to your doorstep during the cold months is worth every bit of the small effort. Your neighbors will ask you how you keep your porch looking so good when theirs sits empty.
Read the full article: Best Winter Flowers for Your Garden
