At the most comfortable time of the year, the garden is serene, but the play of colors never stops. Proven winter plants such as Christmas rose, cypress, juniper and spruce can withstand the cold temperatures and impress with large and small color accents.
With temperatures around freezing, hardy garden plants defy the harsh weather conditions. At the latest with the first snowflakes, they transform the homely outdoor space into a winter wonderland.
The Christmas rose provides the flowering splendor among the winter garden plants. The beauty, also called snow rose, bears the botanical name "Helleborus", usually opens its flowers as early as December and continues to bloom until March. Depending on the location, the plant will delight its viewer for many years. The original Christmas rose, which is native to parts of the Alps and the Balkans, is white in color, although the large flowers can also shine in green.
In general, the Christmas rose likes a light to partially shady spot in the protected environment of woody plants. In addition, their roots should be protected from frost in winter with compost, mulch or leaves. When watering, the soil should never dry out completely, but the roots should not be exposed to waterlogging. Plants that grow up to 30 centimeters in height do not need regular pruning. Only the flowers and leaves of the Christmas rose can be cut off after they have wilted.
The sturdy juniper should not be missing in the winter garden. It belongs to the cypress family, ideal winter plants. They appear in the most diverse shapes and color variations. The juniper usually has a columnar cylindrical growth and the typical blue-black berries, also called cones. The cypress is also an evergreen and has scaly leaves. It is a very popular eye-catcher in the garden, as it is often used as a garden hedge.
The clever combination of different cypress plants provides a special enrichment of the outdoor space. The young plants feel comfortable in pots made of stone, clay or wickerwork and like to take place on the balcony or terrace before going into the garden in later years and should be planted a few meters apart. Cypress plants reach heights of up to 15 meters, but are ideal for pruning and shaping.
Juniper and cypress are easy to handle in terms of care. As hedge trees, they should be placed in a sunny to partially shaded position, the soil should not be too calcareous and if necessary leveled with the addition of peat. Firmly grown cypress plants are normally able to absorb the necessary moisture from the soil through the widely branched roots. Young plants should only be watered with low-lime water on frost-free days in winter and only during a long dry period in summer. In autumn and spring, the soil directly around the plants can be enriched with mulch and compost underneath.
The spruce belongs to the pine family and, as an evergreen conifer, it is also predestined for winter outdoor areas. The snow remains gracefully on the square, pointed, dark green needles. Compact cultivation varieties such as sugarloaf spruce or white spruce bring a mini Christmas tree atmosphere in white woven baskets on the balcony or terrace.
Spruce trees are incredibly easy to care for. Waterlogging should be avoided and adequate space should be provided when planting in the garden. It is not recommended to trim the branches as they will not grow back. In dry weather, the spruce should be watered even in winter on frost-free days. In the spring, after the night frost, you can fertilize it.
