So winter is right around the bend and thus our bountiful gardens are about to go into hibernation.  So get those last standing goodies and get them in and start canning, if you haven’t already started.  But don’t worry, not all is lost with a when all the ground is covered in beautiful flakes.  There are some plants that you can start planting in the fall that are winter hardy and will be the first ones when spring springs.  And it’s not only colourful flowers that you can plant for some colour and these plants provide color and beauty against a stark and sometimes dreary winter landscape.  Doing this will also give you the opportunity to get outside a bit, rather than what most people do which is hibernating indoors. Planting a variety of these winter blooming plants will add interest to your garden until warm weather plants start blooming in the spring. Whether you prefer bulbs, bushes or trees in your garden, there are plants that will grow and provide pleasing blooms, even in the winter.

Here is a list of some flowers that can withstand the frigid temperatures of winter.

1)Cassia : is hardy in zones 8 through 11 and in areas where the temperature does not dip below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Cassia may bloom as late as November and then bloom again in the spring.

2)Snowdrops :grow well in zones 3 through 7. They are one of the earliest blooming flowers in the spring, often peeking up through the snow as early as February. They do best in well-drained soils and are well adapted to rock gardens.

3)Camellia :Camellia is hardy to zone 6. Plant in a partially shaded area where flowers can thaw out after a snow or frost without direct sunlight. Flowers will survive temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending upon the cultivar, flowers will appear from October through March

4)Weeping Winter Jasmine : This plant is versatile.  It can be trained along a trellis, use to fill in banks and hillsides or a fence line.  It is hardy in zones 6 through 10.  Begins blooming in November, then produce heavy blooms January-March.

5) Flowering Quince :  best planted in zones 4-9 dependent upon the cultivar selected. The plant enjoys full sun in well-drained, non-alkaline soil. The plant will begin blooming in warmer climates as early as January. The fruit from the tree may be harvested in October and made into jelly.

6)Paperbark Maple:

Paperbark Maple’s curls of copper colored bark peel off from all over and make a pleasing sight, both while on the plant or while lying on the ground. The green leaves of summer turn into an eye catching cinnamon shade in the fall. It grows best in partial sunlight.

This is a short list of the numerous colourful plants that tolerate the frigidness of winter,  so get out and add some colour to  your area.

there are more sites and books that you can use to learn abundance of other plants that would fined delightful to you rather than the ones that I have just posted.  No reason to hibernate and wish you were outside.  Get out and get digging and you will find that your mood is elevated.

!!!!!!!Don’t hibernate, cultivate!!!!!!!!