Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:27 pm
In general, plants need sunlight and warmth to thrive. Winter is therefore the season when most hedge plants go dormant. Therefore, there are not many hedge plants that bloom in winter. But there are. Many people need spring feelings, especially during the coldest days of the year, and a flowering hedge can help. There are also bulbs that show their flowers during the winter months. We present the most beautiful winter bloomers in our assortment.
Very early flowering: the Viburnum.
Do you want a hedge in your garden that shows its colors in winter? Then the laurel snowball (Viburnum tinus) is highly recommended. In winter, the first pink flower buds already appear. In a mild winter, these buds can even be seen around Christmas. Later in the winter and early spring, the buds sprout and form beautiful white flowers. These flowers grow together in round clusters about ten centimeters in diameter. It really is a flower that stands out. And this at a time when most flowering hedge plants do not even have leaves on their branches.
One fact to consider is that despite its name and flowering, Viburnum is not very hardy. If exposed to more than twelve degrees of frost, parts of the viburnum may die. Fortunately, it is possible to take action against this. We always recommend planting the viburnum in a somewhat sheltered spot to keep it out of the cold wind. Does the temperature fall further below zero than usual in winter? Then you can consider covering the roots of the viburnum with straw, leaves or a fleece.
In the past, viburnum was planted for its wood and antipyretic properties, but in recent decades it is valued mainly for its decorative appearance. Besides the flower, the leaves are also very decorative. And snowballs are also evergreen hedge plants.
Most flowering hedge plants bloom in the spring or summer. In addition, the hedge plants with the most conspicuous flowering are usually deciduous. In winter, these hedge plants with their bare branches do not look very beautiful, although the abundant flowering rhododendron is evergreen. However, there are hedge plants that bloom before they have even sprouted. At this time, the hedge blooms, but does not yet have leaves. The most profusely flowering varieties form a kind of flowering hedge, which is a very beautiful sight.
An example is the forsythia (Forsythia intermedia ‘Spectabilis’). When this plant blooms, it stands out anyway. Its flowers are bright yellow, but also quite large. If your hedge is in a sunny location where all flowering plants thrive most abundantly, then so many flowers will grow on the plants during the blooming season that they will appear almost as dense as a hedge. This usually happens in March and April, but in mild years the first flowers can appear as early as February. If you want to have a flowering hedge every year, it is important to prune and head forsythia regularly.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) also blooms profusely during this time. In the wild, the plant even begins to bloom towards the end of winter with a large number of beautiful white flowers. In our nature it is one of the first plants to bloom. The white flowers grow in large numbers on the still bare branches of blackthorn, so you can enjoy the bloom very early. Note, however, that Prunus spinosa has quite a wide root system. In small gardens is often not enough space for this native hedge plant.
Flowers that bloom in winter
In our assortment you will also find various flower bulbs. Most are spring bloomers, but we also have bulbs in the assortment that bloom very early in the spring or even in the winter. Crocuses, for example, are known to bloom very early. In the Netherlands, even the first vacation season of the year is named after crocuses – Crocus Holiday. This is no coincidence. If conditions are right, the first crocuses bloom as early as February, bringing color to an otherwise bare garden even before spring begins.
The only true winter flower among our bulbs is the Elwes snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii), also called large-flowered snowdrop. Its white flowers usually appear between January and March, but if the winter is mild, the first flowers may appear before Christmas. The name of the large-flowered snowdrop refers to its showy leaves, but it is actually the flowers that deserve a mention. The ornamental value of the white flowers is enhanced by a distinctive green spot on the petals.