Outdoor plants that survive winter are nature’s quiet warriors, they’re tall as trees, cold as ice, and frosty as silk. Thanks to these silent, but fierce souls, these resilient souls, these bottles of stillness, these have breathed life into a season that is still slow to bloom, still slow to let go of its embrace of grief, of darkness. In a place that has given up most growth, these plants still stand fast, dressing up a landscape that has been softened by snow with splashes of green, fiery reds, and muted golds. Guardians of the garden, emblem of hope, completing the inclining descent of winter’s silence with elegance and the quiet defiance of strength.
Some may be frightened of that icy breath of the season, but there are also plants that are strong and wearing frost like a crown and defying the freeze of the season with fortitude and grace. For those of us who value year-round outdoor greenery, these hardy plants share their beauty and life with landscapes when most have bowed to winter’s reign here too. In part, here we look at outdoor plants that survive winter, that have a palette of colors, textures, and forms, even as the snow piles and the temperatures drop.
Why Choose Winter-Hardy Plants?
Plants that can take the cold enable you to keep your garden in play and offer wildlife sanctuary during the harsher months. Winter hardy plants offer shelter, food, and visual interest boosting outdoors to realms of resilience and charm. An inspired tour of some of nature’s strongest, most compelling plants for winter gardens.
1. Evergreen Trees: The Giants of Winter Green
Pine Trees (Pinus)
Pine trees are a few of the trees that show winter resilience. The deep green needles and conical shape of them have made them the winter’s ancient keepers. Pine trees are low effort, harsh wind and low temperature tolerant, and have a nice solid touch. Across the regions, their adaptability to different soil types and climates makes them a favorite.
Spruce Trees (Picea)
Spruce trees in the winter paint their beautiful stately style with a refined elegance on the winter landscape. But instead of losing their leaves, as most trees do, spruce trees hang on to their needles in dense clusters that make a stand of green woven into winter’s pallid backdrop. Thriving in full sun and slightly acidic soil they need little doing to flower through snow and cold.
2. Deciduous Shrubs: Hardy and Beautiful
Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
The red twig dogwood enhances winter landscapes with its red, spike-like branches standing out from snowy surroundings. Resilient to -20 degrees F (-29 degrees C), this moist, part-shade shrub provides vibrant color and texture to the garden. Beauty and biodiversity are what it provides year round, plus it’s an attractive addition for wintering birds.
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)
Witch hazel, which blossoms in late winter with cheerful yellow blooms, never far behind, braves the cold. Starburst flowers brighten frosty gardens and sometimes unfurl even when it’s snowing. Witch hazel prefers bright light and well-drained soil, some of the things do have a fall color that is piquant before flowering out in the winter bloom.
3. Grasses: Silhouettes of Subtle Splendor
Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis acutiflora)
Feather reed grass is a staple of winter landscaping, keeping its upright plumes through the cold, dancing in the winter wind. It is a low-maintenance plant, needing little, with its narrow blades and feathery flower heads adding textural, and moving elements to a dormant garden. Snow and golden stems combined in this vision of elegance among frost.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Switchgrass tolerates winter’s chill with ease, sporting tawny colors and upright stable forms, which stand head and shoulders above their snows. A hardy grass that likes full sun and grows well in a variety of soils, this grass offers structural winter interest in the garden and serves as a resource for wildlife that nest in it.
4. Perennials That Defy the Freeze
Hellebore (Helleborus)
Although hellebore blooms in early winter, following the garden as few others dare, that same flower is known as the Christmas rose. Hellebores feature sturdy petals in shades of pink, white, and purple and are sure to enchant a winter landscape. These plants like shaded, somewhat protected spots and moist dirt, thrive in woodland gardens and shaded sections.
Sedum (Stonecrop)
Sedum clings to life even in frost; succulent leaves remain firm even across the coldest days. When the flowers of these
5. Winter-Blooming Camellias: Blossoms Amidst Snow
While winter’s legs linger, Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua are rare gems that blossom with large rose blooms. During winter, their lush foliage and bright flowers, which can be pink, red or white, presents a breath taking counter point. Camellias prefer acidic, well-drained, partial shade soil and grow well in winter gardens.
6. Groundcovers That Brave the Elements
Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
Evergreen creeping thyme holds its own against frost, with dense aromatic leaves filling your cold earth with evergreen vibrance. It needs little maintenance, is ideal for rock gardens and pathway borders, and can tolerate poor soil, offering depth of color and a slight scent to winter gardens.
Liriope (Liriope muscari)
Liriope has glossy, arching leaves that hold its shape during the winter and is an excellent hardy ground cover. Its dark green foliage is a wonderful partner for the season’s white frost along borders and in shaded beds. Liriope is tough as nails; can survive in extreme conditions and deftly grows in the poorest of soils while providing little back in return, except for resiliency that few can match.
7. Holly Bushes: Berries of Winter Delight
American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Holly bush is both ornamental and hardy, with dark green, spiny leaves, and bright red berries—both a natural splash of color in the winter garden. Holly will tolerate a range of conditions and will provide shelter and food for birds. It brings cheer and resilience of a classic winter touch when planted near pathways or entryways.
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Its bare branches covered with bright red berries give winterberry a unique silhouette for a time of year when other trees have no leaves. The shrubs are tough as nails and easygoing, thriving in moist soils and partial to full sun. Winterberry brings a romantic sort of balance to winter gardens, bringing form to where there is none other than the weeds.
Creating a Winter-Resilient Garden
The pathway to year-round enjoyment in the landscape is to select plants that survive the winter and provide form, color, and texture even in the coldest months. There are many winter hardy plants that are not only cold hardy but are also shrines for wildlife, creating biodiversity in your garden. If you are creating a winter resilient garden then mix evergreens, grasses, and flowering shrubs to have a layered effect. Work with the textures and colors of frost kissed greenery to create a nice mix.
