Banish the winter gloom with these pots of colour
A splash of colour lifts flagging spirits at this time of year, and planting a container is the best way to get it. Tamsin Hope Thompson has bright ideas to combat winter blues
Blue Monday may have come and gone, but in late January we all need something to lift the spirits. And what better way to cheer up your entrance or patio than with a bright container? Getting out into the garden is always uplifting, and there is a huge range of plants that can bring instant gratification with their winter wow factor.
unlike bulbs, which require months of patience, with a winter pot you’ll see a return on your efforts immediately. Position your container near the front door or somewhere it is visible from a window, and even in bad weather you can enjoy looking out at your bright and cheerful creation.
To transform a container in the depths of winter, you need bright berries, vibrant stems and interesting foliage – whether it’s variegated ivy or the vivid blade-like leaves of a phormium. And there are flowers, too, from tough little violas and winter pansies to the tubular blooms of longflowering heathers. Pay a visit to your favourite garden centre and you will find plenty of tempting plants – pots of snowdrops and cyclamen ready to plant; drooping, graceful hellebores and the spiderlike flowers of witch hazel with their oh-so-captivating scent.
As well as providing a shot of colour, a winter container can also add fragrance and structure. look for scented plants such as sarcococca, or larger shrubs like Viburnum x
bodnantense ‘Dawn’, which can make a statement on their own. The latter may have an eventual height of 10ft (3m), but plants grow more slowly in pots; and once your specimen shrub outgrows its container you can simply plant it out in the garden.
Of course, you don’t always need flowers to provide instant impact; winter foliage has a beauty of its own, and it comes in many forms. Think about using evergreen grasses for their height and movement, variegated leaves to brighten dull days, and ferns with their delicate, lacy texture. Or add in a trailing foliage favourite such as ivy – great for adding contrast to upright plants and softening the edge of your pot.
Pick the right elements for your container, and you’ll be rewarded with a low-maintenance display that looks good from now into spring.