Plant Now for Early, Fragrant, Winter-Blooming Color

When late autumn arrives, many Georgia homeowners pack away their tools, letting their landscape drift until spring. Savvy gardeners know that planting colorful and fragrant winter-blooming shrubs and perennials now allows you to exploit Georgia’s mild winters and create a garden filled with vibrant color and intoxicating fragrance, starting in January! 

Fall is the absolute prime time for planting because cooler temperatures and steady seasonal rains give root systems time to get established before any harsh summer heat arrives. (And there are no pesky bugs to deal with!)

By selecting varieties that peak from November through February, you can enjoy a continuous, sensory-rich display right outside your window. Here are some of my favorite winter-blooming plants…

To kick-start your cold-weather display, look to the Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans). This classic southern evergreen produces unassuming clusters of tiny white flowers starting in late fall and continuing sporadically through winter. What it lacks in floral size, it more than makes up for in scent, filling the air with an unforgettable aroma reminiscent of ripe peaches and jasmine.

As mid-winter approaches, Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) steps into the spotlight. True to its name, this deciduous shrub opens its delicate, clear yellow blossoms in January, projecting a clean, sweet fragrance that effortlessly cuts through chilly morning dampness.

For a striking visual punch, the Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) is unmatched. All through autumn, it showcases dramatic, silky, silvery buds that hang gracefully from bare cinnamon-colored branches. By late winter, these buds burst into fragrant, golden-yellow trumpet clusters.

Pair paper bush with Winter Daphne (Daphne odora), a compact shade-loving evergreen, featuring lush, glossy variegated leaves and rosy-pink flower clusters. Stationed near walkways or entryways, its powerful citrus-and-jasmine blend warmly greets anyone arriving at your doorstep.

Sweetbox (Sarcococca hookeriana) acts as a stellar evergreen ground cover. Though its white flowers are small and tucked away, they broadcast a remarkably potent, clean perfume across shady garden corners.

Bringing unique architecture to the landscape, Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) features long, bright green arching branches that transform into cascading ribbons of star-like yellow flowers from January onward. It contrasts beautifully against the structure of Witch Hazel (Hamamelis), a large shrub renowned for its crinkly, ribbon-like petals in shades of copper, red, and gold. 

Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ accents the upper story (can grow as tall as ten feet) with its heavily scented clusters of rich pink flowers that brave the frost on bare wood.

My favorite winter plant is not a shrub but a shade-loving perennial – Lenten Rose (Helleborus) These drought-tolerant, deer resistant, evergreen plants feature nodding, bell-shaped flowers in shades of plum, green, and cream. These do well under trees and will spread like a beautiful green carpet, with blooms that begin in January and last until May! 

Together, this collection proves that Georgia gardens don’t have to lose their magic when the temperature drops. On a cold, dreary February day, you can look out and enjoy vibrant and cheerful color to remind you that spring is just around the corner!