At this time of year, we tend to focus on creating a cosy, inviting atmosphere inside the house. But how about adding a warm welcome at your front door, or creating a focal point to enjoy from a window? Perhaps in a scaled down version, also an ideal gift for a gardening friend?

Rosy’s container for winter fragrance

For fabulous winter scent that will linger in the air on a still winter’s day there are many interesting shrubs to choose from that are suitable for containers. A fine example is Daphne ‘Perfume Princess’, clusters of scented blooms in the axials all along the stem, set off by the glossy green leaves that persist through winter. Also, Rosmarinus Prostratus Group commonly known as Prostrate Rosemary, another compact evergreen shrub with linear, needle like, aromatic foliage. This works as a contrast to Parahebe catarractae, offering darker serrated edged leaves and a rounded form. These shrubs can be all be enhanced by the cheerful flowers of hellebores, a great choice being Helleborus ‘Walberton’s Rosemary’ PBR, dusky pink, flowering from December right through till Spring.

Rosy’s grasses container

Grasses are another alternative and are ideal for offering winter structure, performing well in a container. How about Sesleria which is semi-evergreen so will stand tall through winter? Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Blackbeard’, not strictly a grass but has interesting dark purple, evergreen grass like foliage and adds something a little more unusual? Alongside these, and bringing a different form, Bergenia have the most fabulous glossy leaves with many different selections to choose from. At Hardy’s we love Bergenia ‘Bach’, an evergreen variety, bred for its clusters of sugar pink bell like flowers that stand like soldiers on striking dark stems. Helleborus x nigercors ‘Emma’ PBR makes a super addition, bearing large outward facing saucer like white blooms that age to pink then green over green-grey foliage.

Rosy’s trough

Libertia has attractive fans of linear leaves in dark green, bringing evergreen structural value. However, for extra foliage colour, Libertia peregrinanans’s has a wide central vein marked orange meaning the leaves glow a super bronze colour in winter. Dianthus spp. is also evergreen, creating interest through its silvery foliage. For variety in foliage, Tiarella ‘Emerald Ellie’ puts on a striking display of attractively cut foliage from late spring, each leaf boasting bold inner maroon markings edged in fresh green, from which slender stems emerge carrying clusters of fluffy star-like white flowers. For a delicate winter flower Iphion is a super star, masses of delicate fragrant flowers during late winter and early spring, a real winter favourite here at Hardy’s. For a bit of fun, Sempervivum spp. (commonly known as the houseleeks) are versatile little plants well suited to containers of any type and work well in this container popped in amongst the other plants. Although they are succulents, they are tough and will survive UK winters outside, so long as the soil in the container is free draining.

Rosy has underplanted with bulbs, on this occasion with Tulipa ‘City of Vancouver’ for a warm welcome come spring.

Tips for Success!

The larger the container the better!

Selection of suitable growing medium is important. Good quality peat-free Melcourt compost is available from the nursery in 50L bags and is suitable for short term planting (one season) of all the plants mentioned.

Over winter it is unlikely that watering will be required, however, it is important to moisten the compost at the time of planting. It is also just worth checking from time to time that the soil remains moist in the container as if it is close to a wall or under a porch the compost may dry out. Possibly more important is to consider drainage - make sure your container has at least one hole in the bottom, more is even better.

As with any planting, ‘right plant right place’ still applies. On a south facing patio, drought tolerant sun loving plants will thrive, whereas in the shade of a porch or on a north facing wall, a selection of shade loving plants would be more appropriate.