WINTER PLANTS: THE 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL TO COLOR YOUR GARDEN

Being able to create a green area inside your home is quite simple. In fact, there are many house plants that adapt perfectly to the climate of the home environment, once you find the right position to place them. However, it is more difficult for the decoration of the balcony or the garden because the cold of the winter period makes it impossible for some plants and their flowers to survive.

With this we must not think that it is impossible to have a colorful outdoor environment even in winter: you just need to know how to choose the cold-resistant botanical species. Therefore, we have selected the 10 best winter plants, perfect to give a touch of color and joy even in the months. more icy!

1. Winter heather

There are many varieties of Erica, but the one recommended for the "winter is the"Erica Gracilis. Also this species is characterized by several erect stems that produce a considerable quantity of small flowers whose typical color is pink or purple, but there are also cases where white prevails. As an outdoor winter plant, the "Erica Gracilis it adapts perfectly to both the garden and the balcony because it can be transplanted both on the ground and in pots of various shapes. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is the position: in fact, it grows and blooms better in the sun or, in any case, not always being in the shade.

2. Cyclamen

It is probably one of the winter plants par excellence and also among the most loved: every year the cyclamen depopulates on the balconies thanks to the different colors of its flowers ranging from white to red, from light pink to the most intense lilac. Moreover, compared to other plants, its flowering is particularly long because it begins with the first cold around the first days of October and can continue until the beginning of spring. Suitable both in the garden and on the balcony, the only recommendation is to preserve the cyclamen in case of sudden drops in temperature and frosts. In fact, even if it is resistant to cold, it is better to take it inside the house or a greenhouse, where however the temperature must not exceed 15-18 degrees.

3. Jasmine of St. Joseph

We are used to thinking of jasmine as a spring plant with its typical white flowers and unmistakable scent. However, there are several varieties, including the winter one called Jasmine of San Giuseppe. Unlike heather and cyclamen, these plants are suitable to a larger space, so we recommend them only if you have a sufficiently large balcony or terrace, as well as, of course, a garden. The winter jasmine boasts a flowering all on the notes of yellow that starts from October and novermbre until the end of winter. It is necessary to place the vase or bury the St. Joseph's jasmine in a sunny position to get the most of the flowers and, if well cared for , turns out to be one of the most resistant winter plants.

4. Ornamental cabbage

It is not the best known and most edible variety, but the purely decorative one. Ornamental cabbage is a plant that adapts easily to life on the balcony or in the garden and does not require great care. Lately, it is found more and more often thanks to the shape and the typical shades of its leaves. In fact, with curled or fringed leaves, arranged as if to compose a rose, the ornamental cabbage has bright colors ranging from classic purple to white, depending on the type. It is perfect for those who live in particularly cold places because these plants are able to resist even in sub-zero temperatures.

5. Christmas rose

The real name of this plant is hellebore. However, it is very often called the Christmas Rose thanks to the shape of its flowers that recalls that of the real rose and because it blooms precisely between December and January, coinciding with the Christmas period. Perfect to keep in a vase on the balcony or to be buried for those who prefer gardening, Christmas rose plants do not need great care and are not afraid of cold and frosts, surviving even in the snow. Hellebore flowers, white with pink or purple hues, are known to resist even once cut: in fact, they are increasingly used in the composition of Christmas table centerpieces.

6. Pansy

The varieties of Viola that bloom in winter are the Pansy and the Viola cornuta, which owes its name to the characteristic shape of the petals. Both are very popular for their easy management and for the colors of their flowers that are renewed every year. thanks to the work of the hybridizers: they range from white and yellow to pink and lilac to the darkest purple. In general, the species of winter violets are perfectly suited to both pot life on the terrace or balcony and buried in the garden. L " It is important to place them in a place where they can enjoy the sunlight for a few hours and do not wet them excessively because you risk rotting the roots.

7. Skimmia Japonica

Moving away a little from the most known winter plants, let's shift our attention to a species still considered particular, namely Skimmia Japonica. As the name already says, it is native to Japan and is an evergreen perennial ideal for embellishing balconies and terraces during colder months. It adapts to the surrounding external environment even if it should not be exposed directly to the sun but kept almost in the shade. It stands out for its white flowers, which are found as buds during the autumn and which bloom a little later, and above all for its red berries. To always have red berries during the winter it is important never to cut the flowers once. once dried and flowering is over.

8. Snowdrop

It is easy to see snowdrops growing spontaneously in the wild, especially in the mountains. This already shows how these plants are particularly resistant to cold. In fact, snowdrops were initially known as "February flowers", because their flowering was around the middle of that month. However, with climate change, they bloom today from January to March, giving everyone the spectacle of their pendulous white flowers. They can be grown on the balcony or in the garden during the winter. They do not like the sun, they also resist snow and frost and can survive on rainwater except in the summer months.

9. Calicanto

Originally from China, in Italy there is only one variety of this shrub, namely the Chimonanthus praecox also simply called winter Calicanto. It is a very particular plant of medium size which in the cold months is completely devoid of leaves. In their place, it is characterized by very original yellow flowers that bloom between February and March. They give off a perfume quite similar to that of jasmine, with an intense and pleasant fragrance. In general, it is a very resistant plant to low temperatures, which is why it is grown a lot in Northern Italy. Only during the spring and summer, the calicanthus will be covered with leaves, waiting for the following winter to bloom again.

10. Holly

Finally, let's move on to the plant that symbolizes winter and Christmas holidays. Holly is an outdoor shrub whose pot can be placed anywhere, preferably in a sunny position. It needs abundant doses of water only in hot weather, making sure that the soil is always dry before proceeding with watering.
The holly is easily recognizable by its pointed green leaves and red berries that make it capable of giving a touch of color despite the absence of real flowers. Due to their red color, its berries are often used to compose Christmas table centerpieces.