15 Striking Plants for Winter Color

You may think of winter as dark and dreary, but it doesn't have to be — at least not in the garden. Considering winter interest when planning and planting your garden will help boost your mood, and your landscape, by providing lively color and texture. One of many outdoor winter plants to consider, these hellebores (also known as Lenten or Christmas roses), in shades of burgundy, mauve and ivory, blanket the ground with something far more interesting than snow.

Ornamental kale and cabbage are some of the most popular winter annual plants. They lend a completely different texture to a winter landscape bed. Once the plants are hardened by cooler night temperatures they can survive most cold winters.

Camellias prefer acidic, moist yet well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. They flower in the fall and winter when their display of colorful blooms is most appreciated. The waxy-petalled flowers linger long on plants, displaying shades of red, pink, coral, white and bicolors. Plants are evergreen, growing to form shrubs or small trees. Once established, camellias are drought-tolerant.

Jasminum nudiflorum or winter jasmine is an exceptionally trouble-free plant to grow.