Winter Garden Flowers for Texas Landscapes
Plant Cold Weather Tolerant Flowering Annuals for Winter Color
Nov 6, 2009
The winter landscape can seem uninviting and boring with its uniform colors of gray and brown. However, take heart. It is possible to add colorful flowers that bloom in Texas gardens even in cold weather. In hardiness zones six through eight, there are several flowering plants that can provide the landscape with winter color.
Winter Flowering Plants for Texas Landscapes
Cyclamens have a vibrant color in shades of pink, red, white and purple. They grow to about eight inches tall and flower throughout most of the winter. These flowering plants can be challenging to grow and will need protection in really cold weather.
Geraniums will bloom during mild winters and have a range of colors including white, red, salmon, and pink. They, too, will want protection from the occasional freezing temperatures and wind. Growing them in containers that can be moved into shelter is the safest approach to keeping them alive and blooming.
Pansies grow well in a variety of happy-faced colors. As shorter plants, they can complement taller winter flowers or be grouped with their cousins, the viola, in rock gardens or containers. Pansies will bloom all winter and into early spring with little special care or attention.
Bedding dianthus is a safe choice for winter flowers. They can be brightly colored and are often fragrant. The most popular varieties of dianthus for winter flower gardens are pinks, carnations, and sweet William.
Short primroses have a tight cluster of showy flowers in reds, purples, blues, and yellows. They tolerate soil that is somewhat alkaline—like those soils west of Dallas—and shade. They do not like really cold temperatures though, so a Texas gardener using them for winter flowers will want to protect them when the temperatures fall below 32 degrees.
Caring for Winter Flowering Plants
Clean out the beds where winter flowering plants will be transplanted. It will help to add some compost or organic matter to the soil or replace entirely the soil in containers. Buy transplants from local nurseries to increase the probability that the plants selected are approved for the gardening region.
Group the plants together by color or tint. Surround the most colorful or largest flowering plants with smaller, complementary plants that vary in color or texture. Fertilize the transplants with a diluted liquid fertilizer or one with high potassium to encourage early growth.
Although the plants listed above are cold tolerant, they have their limits. So on very cold nights, cover the plants with a fabric row cover or sheet to protect them. The covering can be removed in the morning as the sun increases the ambient temperature.
Water the winter flowers only when the soil has dried out. During much of the Texas winter, no water will need to be added during the blooming season as rains and mist will keep the plant’s soil moist enough and the daytime temperatures will not dry out the soil like those in the spring and summer.
Don't let the winter blahs discourage. Plant some winter blooming flowers that can be seen from the kitchen window or the front walk. With careful plant selection and a bit of extra attention, winter landscapes can have their own special colors.
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