A splendor of flowers in summer, a wonderful variety of colors in autumn and winter, the view from the window suddenly reveals empty balcony boxes. But that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. Frost-hardy potted plants can bring color outdoors in the cold season. These winter bloomers delight the gardener's heart from December to April and can be combined outdoors in ensembles with evergreen perennials, ornamental grasses and other winter-flowering plants. We have created a list of the most beautiful winter flowers for balconies and will show you how to properly showcase them in planted balcony boxes. Get inspired!
If you have yourColorful balcony boxesIf you want to plant plants, you should start doing so in late summer or early autumn. Combine hardy flower varieties with evergreen ornamental grasses and cozy ground covers that have similar soil, water and location requirements.
Winter flowers for the balcony: Snowdrops are winter bloomers
Diewhite snowdropsbelong to the plant family Amaryllis. Its name is derived from the ancient Greek words for “milk” and “flower”. Originally they were widespread in nature. They are now threatened with extinction and the wild population is under protection. However, there is a wide range of snowdrop varieties available in stores. Most flowers are grown in Great Britain. Hobby gardeners can choose between more than 20 species and 600 varieties. The tubers are planted in September and October.
The early varieties bloom from October and their flowering period lasts until spring. The late ones bloom in March-April. The winter flowers thrive in sunny tosemi-shaded locationsand feel particularly comfortable between perennials and under bushes. They can easily withstand snow and frost and are therefore considered hardy. This means that the snowdrops can stay outside on the balcony or terrace all winter long.
Combine snowdrops, ivy, moss and silver leaf
Together with evergreen ornamental grasses and perennials, the white winter flowers look good outside. In smaller pots, for example, you can combine snowdrops with ivy, moss and silver leaf. In this way apuristisches Ensemblein gray-green-white. They also cut a good figure in the flower pot as soloists. As far as care is concerned, the flowers are quite undemanding. Basically, they have difficulty withstanding waterlogging. In winter, you can only water them when necessary, as too much moisture in the soil could lead to mold growth. Otherwise, the annual plants are easy to care for. Patience and experience are only required when propagating.
The beautiful Lenten rose
The Lenten rose belongs to the buttercup family of plants.Early FebruaryThe winter flower produces white, pink, red or yellow flowers. The flowering period lasts until the end of April. In nature, the plant grows, similar to snowdrops, among deciduous trees and shrubs. In your own garden or on the balcony, it can be easily combined with the late-flowering snowdrop varieties. Sub-zero temperatures, snow and wind don't affect the 40 cm high winter bloomers. An important prerequisite for rapid growth is fresh, calcareous, humus-rich and permeable soil.
Lenzroseplant with sedum and sedge
The Lenten rose can be easily combined with other hardy plants such as sedum and sedge, which have similar soil requirements.Together with ground cover plantsor ornamental grasses, their dark red flowers are particularly effective. The Lenzrose is suitable as an accent for balcony boxes, but also looks great as a soloist on the balcony table. Conifers are not good combination partners; they thrive in slightly acidic soil, which can hinder the growth of the Lenten rose.
Winter flowers for the balcony: pansies as an eye-catcher
pansies areannual plantsand belong to the violet genus. Today there is a wide selection of cultivars, many of which bloom from spring through fall. Others, like the Pirnaer variety, are winter bloomers that drive away the gray dreariness. They are hardy, but cannot thrive in snow and rain and should therefore be placed in a covered location. The balcony is ideal for this purpose. An important prerequisite for a long flowering period is humus-rich, loose and fresh, moist soil. However, waterlogging should be avoided as it can lead to mold formation.
Pansies inbalcony boxesPlant and combine with other winter flowers and winter bloomers
The pansies are coming indifferent colorsbefore. For example, the flowers with purple and dark red flowers are very common. They are perfect as color accents in the flower bed in the garden or in the balcony boxes. Together with skimmias, ivy and purple bells, they form an attractive ensemble in berry nuances.
Winterjasmin
Winter jasmine is native to the northern parts of China. The extremelyrobust plantscores with a long flowering period, which begins in December and ends in April. In the garden, the ground cover quickly becomes an eye-catcher with its beautiful yellow flowers. It can also be cultivated on the balcony in window boxes as a winter flower. If it is planted as a soloist in flower pots, it needs a climbing aid. The plant is winter hardy. It can easily withstand wind, rain and snow. It should only be protected from frost when temperatures are below zero. The winter bloomer thrives best in semi-sunny locations. A calcareous and fresh soil promotes its growth.
Winter jasmine can be combined with other winter bloomers that have similar soil and location requirements. Optionally you can use the perennialhardy balcony plantcan also be used effectively on its own. Simply plant the winter flower in a flower pot in a contrasting color and display it in the center of the balcony table. It can also be combined with other bulb flowers such as squill or snow shine.
The beautiful camellia is a real eye-catcher
Similar to winter jasmine, the beautiful camellias came from Asia to Europe, where they adorned the gardens of the nobility. Nowadays they are very popular and are particularly popular for their large flowers. However, since the ornamental perennials are considered very demanding, hobby gardeners rarely dare to plant them in their own garden. The flowerneeds wind protectionand thrives best in shady locations with high humidity. Camellia prefers loose, well-drained and slightly acidic soil. It has difficulty withstanding waterlogging, so the soil should definitely be permeable. With proper care, the flowering period of some early-flowering varieties can begin as early as January. With its beautiful white, pink or pink flowers, it makes the outdoor area shine.
The balcony offers practically everything the camellia needsto feel comfortable outside. Ideally, the shrub should be planted in a large planter and displayed directly in front of the outside wall. It can be perfectly combined with the green-leaved honeysuckle. The two plants form a beautiful duo.
The Christmas rose for the balcony
With its large snow-white flowersthe Christ rosea real eye-catcher both in the garden, on the terrace or on the balcony. The extremely robust winter flower can thrive in sub-zero temperatures as well as withstand cold and snow. The ornamental shrub is very long-lived and can bloom for over 20 years with proper care. The first flowers open in January, although for certain varieties the flowering period begins in December.
The perennials prefer semi-shady to shady locations and, like the Lenten rose, grow particularly quickly under deciduous trees. In winter they allow plenty of sunlight to promote flower production and in spring and summer the green leaves shield the plant from the strong rays of the sun. The right time to plant is October. Thehardy plantloves clayey soil with a high sand content. In the winter months it only needs to be watered as needed, you can check the soil once a week to be on the safe side. You should definitely avoid waterlogging, similar to all other hardy plants.
Cushion primrose
The cushion primrose belongs to the primrose family, which includes more than 500 varieties. The flower reaches a maximum height of 15 cm, has rosette-shaped foliage and produces several medium-sized flowers in yellow, purple, white, pink, blue and red. Numerous varieties are available commercially in different shades, but they all have one thing in common: the throat of all cushion primroses is yellow.
The cushion primroses are usually somewhat sensitive to frost. They can easily remain outdoors at temperatures above 5 degrees and do not need to be overwintered. At temperatures below 5 degrees, it depends on the variety: Some types of flowers need to be overwintered, while others are hardy. The right location is in partial shade and offers protection from rain and strong sunlight. ANorth facing balconyor a covered roof terrace is ideal.
You are probably wondering what you can combine cushion primrose with in the balcony box? The flower looks particularly beautiful with hellebore and evergreen perennials. Optionally, you can choose late-flowering species. They get along very well with popular spring flowers such as daffodils or tulips.
More winter bloomers
There are of course many other winter flowers that can be found in window boxes andflower pots outsidecan be planted. These are, for example:
- Snow Heath. The flowering period of the snow heath extends from February to mid-April. The ornamental shrub has flowers in a gentle light pink shade, which change color to old pink at the end of the flowering period.
- The sedum has small, fiery red flowers and is therefore a real eye-catcher in the balcony box. The ground cover can be easily combined with hardy ornamental grasses.
- Rhododendron, also called alpine rose, is a hardy plant from the heather family. Today there are over 1000 cultivars available commercially, many of them winter bloomers.
- The flowering period for the poisonous winter aconite begins in February. With its yellow flowers, it adds a splash of color to the balcony garden and makes you look forward to the coming spring even greater.
Creating a balcony garden: You must adhere to these basic rules
So that you can enjoy flowers on your balcony even in winter, you shouldPlan your balcony garden carefully. Take into account the height of the flowers and the growth habits of the plants. Place upright perennials in the background, overhanging flowers at the front edge of the box and fill in the gaps with ground covers. Create a planting plan for each large balcony box and for each plant combination. Try combining annuals with annuals and perennials with perennial flowers and perennials.
Make sure you buy flower boxes and flower pots made from weather-resistant materials. Flower boxes made of high-quality plastic are lightweight and can be attached to the balcony railing. Terracotta pots are heavy and therefore have to stand. However, thanks to their greater weight, they do not tip over even in strong winds. The material is also permeable and allows water to evaporate, effectively preventing the formation of waterlogging.
You want your balcony with youhardy plantsplant? Winter flowers such as spring roses, pansies and winter jasmine are eye-catchers on the balcony. With their cheerful, bright colors, they banish dreariness and give the balcony box a splash of color. Whether in happy onesEnsembles with other hardy partnersor as solitary plants in flower pots: the winter bloomers add colorful accents outside. So that the combination not only looks beautiful, but also survives the winter without any problems without frost protection, you should specifically plant plants with similar soil, location and water requirements next to each other in the flower box. Fortunately, most winter-hardy flowers have a lot in common: They thrive best in sunny and partially shaded locations, tolerate waterlogging poorly and therefore need permeable soil, can easily withstand frost and are wind-resistant.
