As temperatures drop and the days get shorter, many of us want to enjoy a bit of winter color in our Florida gardens. After all, who doesn’t like a nice garden, especially during the one time of the year when it’s actually cool enough to enjoy it.
From classic favorites and some of the newest varieties available, this article will cover everything you need to know to pick the perfect flower for your winter garden.
Snapdragon
Snapdragons are an ideal winter flower for Florida because they are an incredibly resilient flower. They can survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees and can still thrive in warm climates. Additionally, they are very drought tolerant, making them an ideal option for Florida winters.
Snapdragons also have a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, allowing you to create unique arrangements for any occasion. They also last a long time when cut, making them a great choice for arrangements.
Snapdragons are also relatively low maintenance, requiring little attention and maintenance once planted. Overall, snapdragons are a great winter flower for Florida due to their resilience, variety of colors and shapes, and low maintenance requirements.
Pansy
Pansies are a cheerful winter flower that will bring life to your garden. They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, purple, and white. They are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance. Pansies can also tolerate light frosts, making them a great choice for winter in Florida.
With its bright and cheerful flowers, the pansy brings a splash of color to the garden in winter, when most other flowers are dormant. Pansies thrive in well-drained soil, and require only minimal watering, making them an easy to maintain garden addition.
They also have a long flowering season, often lasting through spring and into summer before the Florida heat kills them off, providing a long-lasting display of beauty. Additionally, pansies are a great way to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to the garden, providing an attractive and beneficial addition to your landscape.
Primrose
Primroses are a beautiful winter flower that can add a touch of color to your garden. They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, pink, and white. Primroses are also easy to grow and require minimal maintenance. They are also drought-tolerant, making them a great choice for Florida’s dry winter climate.
Primrose is tolerant of colder temperatures and can tolerate full sun, partial shade, and full shade, making it a great choice for a variety of local conditions in your garden.
Primrose blooms in the winter months, providing a splash of vibrant color to a garden when other blooms may be scarce. Primrose is also relatively low maintenance, which makes it an ideal choice for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time caring for their garden. In addition, the plant is deer resistant, ensuring that the flowers will be left undisturbed throughout the winter season. With its bright and colorful blooms, Primrose is a great choice for any Florida garden.
Camellia
Camellias are a beautiful winter flower that can add a touch of elegance to your garden. They come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, and red. Camellias are also easy to grow and require minimal maintenance.
They are more cold hardy than many other flowers, withstanding temperatures down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, so they can survive the winter chill. Camellias also grow well in partial shade, making them suitable for many different types of gardens. And on top of that, they are incredibly beautiful, with a variety of bloom colors and sizes to choose from. As a bonus, their blooms last up to eight weeks, providing you with a colorful winter garden for months.
Sweet Alyssum
Growing sweet alyssum in your Florida garden this winter is a great way to add texture and color to your landscape, no matter the season. Sweet alyssum is a small, hardy flower that is easy to maintain and is resistant to cold weather. This fragrant flower will bloom in shades of white, pink, purple, and lavender, adding beauty to your outdoor space. Sweet alyssum is also an excellent choice for attracting butterflies and other pollinators to your garden. Growing sweet alyssum in your Florida garden this winter will provide you with an array of colors and pleasant aromas to brighten up your outdoor living area.
Stock
Growing stock flowers in your Florida garden in winter can be a delightful and rewarding experience. They are a beautiful addition to any landscape, with their tall stems and clusters of fragrant blossoms that come in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, red, and white.
Not only are they a visual delight, but they also attract beneficial pollinators, such as butterflies and bees. Additionally, stock flowers are quite hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures, making them an ideal choice for winter gardens in Florida when planted in November and December. Once established, they are relatively low-maintenance, so you can enjoy their beauty without needing to devote a lot of time to their care.
The flowers are also long-lasting, so with proper care, they will look beautiful in your garden for weeks. Plus, they are a great option for adding a natural fragrance to your outdoor space.
Viola
If you live in Florida, growing violas in your garden during the winter months is a great way to add some colour and life to your outdoor space. Violas are easy to care for and will provide an abundance of blooms during the cooler months. They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, purple, and white. Plus, the flowers are a great way to attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies to your garden.
In addition, violas are fairly drought tolerant, making them ideal for the dry winter months in Florida. Violas also offer a range of colours to choose from, so you’ll be sure to find something that complements the other plants in your garden. So why not give violas a try in your Florida garden this winter? You won’t regret it!
Dusty Miller
Dusty Miller is a great choice for adding seasonal interest to your Florida garden in winter. While not a flower, it is an tender perennial that requires very little maintenance, and its silver foliage looks beautiful against the winter sky.
This drought tolerant plant will thrive in full sun and can tolerate temperatures as low as 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Dusty Miller is also resistant to pests and diseases, making it an ideal choice for those looking to add a pop of color to their winter garden without having to worry about too much upkeep.
Since its beauty doesn’t rely on flowers, it’s a great way to add color and texture to any garden, no matter the season.
Calendula
Calendula is an ideal winter flower for any garden. It is renowned for its bright colors, including yellow, orange, and white, which can add a touch of vibrancy to the garden even in the colder months.
Growing and maintaining a calendula is incredibly easy and requires minimal effort. This flower is an excellent choice for any gardener looking to add a splash of color to their garden. Furthermore, the calendula is known to attract wildlife such as butterflies and bees, providing an additional benefit to its presence.
Overall, this winter flower is an excellent choice to add a touch of beauty and life to the garden.
Poppy
Poppies are a beautiful winter flower that can add a touch of color to your garden. Poppies range in colors from red, pink, and white, and they are easy to grow requiring minimal maintenance.
They are a great option for those who would like to enjoy a colorful garden but don’t have the time or energy to put into it. Poppies are also a great way to show your appreciation for those who have served in the military since the poppy flower is the symbol for Remembrance Day.
Planting these lovely flowers in your garden is a great way to add a festive touch during the winter season.
Mums
Mums are an excellent choice for winter gardening in Florida due to their hardiness and easy maintenance. They are well-suited for the temperate climate, adding a vibrant splash of color to any landscape. Growing mums requires relatively little effort; they can be planted in containers or in the ground.
The plants thrive in the mild winter weather, and their long-lasting blooms are sure to brighten up any garden. As an added bonus, mums are an affordable and low-maintenance addition to any garden. With proper care, mums can be enjoyed all winter, providing a burst of color and life during the colder months.
Begonias
If you’re looking to add some color to your Florida garden this winter, begonias are a great option. These low maintenance plants are perfect for the warm winters in Florida and come in a variety of sizes and colors.
They are also long blooming and can add a pop of pink, white, or orange to your garden for months. Begonias are also easy to care for and can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions.
Plus, they are great for containers and can easily be moved indoors if the temperatures start to drop below the low 40s.
So, if you’re looking for an easy, low-maintenance way to add color to your garden this winter, be sure to include begonias in your landscape design.
Marigolds
Marigolds are one of the most popular flowers in the Florida garden all year round and winter is no different. These flowers are easy to care for and are a great choice for Florida’s mild winter climate. The bright yellow and orange of the marigold are sure to brighten up your garden, even during the colder months.
They are drought resistant and can tolerate a range of soil types, making them a great choice for novice gardeners and experienced florists alike. Marigolds are a favorite of many gardeners in Florida, and if planted in the fall, they will continue to bloom throughout the winter.
These hardy flowers are sure to bring a splash of color to your landscaping, even during the colder months.
Petunias
Petunias are some of my favorite flowers, and it’s always a treat to get to plant them every winter. With all of the colors and color patterns available, you’re sure to be able to find something for your garden no matter what you’re looking for.
Some of the best and hardiest varieties of petunia are sold under the “Wave” brand name, typically at Lowes, so that is where I would start looking if I wanted to plant these.
Since petunias stay low to the ground and spread out a lot, these are perfect if you need to cover a large amount of space in your garden for not a lot of money.
Poinsettias
Though the red ‘petals’ aren’t actually flowers, poinsettias are probably the flower most associated with winter, at least in the south. These beautiful (but toxic to pets) plants are available basically everywhere you look, from garden centers, to Wal-Mart, to grocery stores, you’d be hard pressed not to be able to find one if you want to include it in your winter garden.
They’re typically treated as annuals here due to their intolerance of Florida heat, but they’re a good choice for adding color to the winter garden.
Dianthus
Growing Dianthus in a Florida garden in winter is an excellent idea. These plants are hardy and thrive in cooler climates, making them ideal for Florida’s mild winters.
Dianthus plants also come in a range of vibrant colors, providing a beautiful and unique addition to any garden. Honestly, my favorites are the ones that have multiple colors on the same flower, such as the red and whites.
The plants are also easy to care for, requiring minimal maintenance, and will bloom for many weeks, creating a stunning visual effect. They are also drought and pest resistant, so they can survive the occasional dry spells that occur in winter. With these advantages, Dianthus is an ideal choice for any Florida garden in winter.
Amaryllis
Amaryllis is a beautiful flower that can be grown in Florida gardens during the winter season. The bright, vibrant colors of the flowers can add a splash of cheer to any outdoor space. The bulbs are easy to cultivate and only require minimal maintenance, while the flowers produce stunning blooms in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Amaryllis can even survive light freezes, making it perfect for growing in the cooler winter months. In addition, since these flowers have a long blooming period, they can add color and life to your garden for several weeks. If you’re looking to add a little extra beauty to your Florida garden, then consider growing some amaryllis this winter.
