These Colorful and Hardy Plants Are Perfect for Creating a Vibrant Winter Garden

A doppelgänger to spring-blooming forsythia, winter jasmine’s bright yellow blooms bring sunny color to winter days. It’s moundy and viney and makes quite a statement when planted in groupings.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9

SHOP WINTER JASMINE

Adorable star-shaped flowers, also known as snow glories or chionodoxa, are a nice consideration for ground cover, as they spread easily. Plant bulbs in fall before the ground freezes.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10

SHOP GLORY OF THE SNOW

This evergreen shrub gets heavy with white flowers come late winter. Its deep green foliage adds depth to your garden.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10

SHOP MEDITERRANEAN WHITE HEATHER

This stunning perennial, also called Lenten rose, shows up in late winter, around the time of Lent, hence the name. It comes in many different shades of white, purple, and pink, with frilly petals or not. They’re super cold-hardy, and rodents tend to leave them alone.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9

SHOP HELLEBORES

Plant these bulbs, or corms, in the fall for the most beautiful late winter or early spring blooms. They’re hardier than they look and appear as early as February in cold regions. But don’t be surprised if bulbs appear other than where you planted; digging rodents such as chipmunks often “relocate” them for you!

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8

SHOP CROCUS CORMS

The sweetly scented flowers of these evergreen shrubs emerge in late winter to early spring. Even though they’re not mainstream, they definitely deserve a spot in your winter garden. They’re a gorgeous shrub for warmer climates.

USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9

SHOP DAPHNE SHRUBS

These sturdy little bulbs, also called galanthus, pop up in very early spring before just about any other flower. With their tiny nodding heads and delicate foliage, they’re best planted en masse along walkways or in rock gardens.

USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8

SHOP SNOWDROP BULBS

These gorgeous evergreen shrubs bloom for weeks in late winter, adding color and drama to the barren landscape. Look for varieties that specifically say they are winter-blooming because some types bloom in fall.

USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 9

SHOP CAMELLIA

This lovely shrub boasts gorgeous bright red berries, which are absolutely stunning against a background of pure white snow. This native holly is a great addition for winter color in any garden. Look for those with a dwarf habit for compact gardens. Also, make sure you have a “male” and “female” in order to ensure berries develop.

USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9

SHOP WINTERBERRY SHRUBS

These gorgeous ornamental versions of cabbage and kale are quite cold hardy and add beautiful texture to fall plantings. In the mid-Atlantic and south, these annuals last through much of the winter.

All USDA Hardiness Zones

SHOP ORNAMENTAL CABBAGE AND KALE

This attractive evergreen shrub is not widely known, but it should be! Attractive whirls of foliage are topped by bright yellow flowers in late fall to early winter.

USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9

SHOP MAHONIA

This petite flower pops up in early spring when snow still may be on the ground. Plant it in drifts for a pretty effect. What’s best, scilla naturalizes well and will spread eventually.

USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 8

SHOP SIBERIAN SCILLA BULBS

This lesser-known shrub, also known as lily of the valley shrub, has lovely cascading clusters of flowers in late winter to early spring. It’s one of few flowering shrubs that will tolerate mostly shade.

USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8

SHOP PIERIS SHRUBS

Pansies can be planted in fall and will thrive in southern locations for most of the winter. In the north, some types die back after a hard freeze but may pop up again next spring when temperatures moderate. We love the range of colorful options pansies provide.

SHOP PANSIES

This is one of those truly unique perennial flowers that doesn’t mind cold and snow one bit! It’s not a well-known winter flower, but it makes a lovely addition to beds, especially when planted in drifts. Plus, rodents don’t usually bother them!

USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8

SHOP WINTER ACONITE