We Southerners love our spring-blooming plants, and every Southern garden needs a dogwood, redbud, masses of azaleas and a hydrangea or two. But, you don’t have to stop with just these tried-and-true favorites. How about planting some other wonderful winter-to-early spring bloomers in your garden to add interest, cultivate the “wow” factor, and amaze your friends!
Here are just a few of my favorites that will soon be blooming in my garden, and are easy to grow.
Lenten Rose (Helleborus x hybridus) – This may be my favorite early-blooming perennial, since it begins flowering in February and holds its blooms through May. The foliage is evergreen, and can make a great groundcover under trees. Hellebores thrive in shade, although they flower well in winter sun and enjoy partial sun the rest of the year. The nodding flowers come in a stunning variety of colors and are often variegated. This is a care-free plant that you will love to grow.
Camellia (Camellia japonica and Camelia sasanqua) – Known as Georgia’s “winter rose,” camellias are a mainstay in the Southern garden, and different varieties bloom in different seasons, including winter. Camellia sasanqua generally blooms from October – December in Georgia and Camelia japonica generally flowers from December through March. Look for varieties like ‘Yuletide,’ ‘Silver Wave,’ and ‘Debutante.’ Plant camellias in lightly-shaded garden beds, with some filtered sun.
Witch-Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) – Often called “winter bloom,” our American witch-hazel is a shrub or small tree, with arching branches and bright yellow flowers. Early Native Americans used the branches of witch-hazel as divining rods to locate water sources. Plant the shrub on the north side of the house in semi-shade for best results.
Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) – Winter jasmine is often confused with forsythia, but actually blooms a little earlier, in January, with cascading branches, making it a perfect choice to spill over a wall. I have several winter jasmine lining my retaining wall, and it is so exciting to see the cheerful, yellow blooms begin popping up in January, even when temperatures are below freezing! Plant in full sun, and then enjoy this mostly carefree plant all year.
Chinese Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum) – Everyone needs at least one spectacular and showy snowball viburnum in their garden! This is a big shrub that can get 10-15 feet high, so it needs plenty of room in full or partial sun. It will reward you with amazing blooms in April that start out lime green and transform to pure white. The blooms are as big as softballs (up to 8”) and will definitely give your garden the “wow” factor in early spring.
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) – This is about my favorite vining plant, with tendrils that cling to any surface. It is a semi-evergreen, fast-growing vine that is perfect for arbors, fences and trellises. The unusual two-toned trumpet flowers bloom in April and again intermittently in the fall. The flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.
Why not try some of these early winter-to-spring bloomers? If your local nursery doesn’t have them in stock, they will be glad to order them for you. Plant them now and be rewarded with wonderful color for years to come.
