Although pots look tired after the summer bedding has collapsed, with the proper plants, a container by the front door can look good through March. The key is to plan for structure first. After that, add colour in layers that crest at different times.
Start with an evergreen backbone
Pick one or two evergreen plants to carry the display when there’s nothing flowering. Dwarf conifers, small box alternatives, skimmia, euonymus and sarcococca remain neat in a pot. Skimmia has a lot to offer; it has red buds in the fall that open to scented flowers in the spring. Sarcococca adds a sweet winter fragrance.
A pot of at least 30cm is recommended to use as small ones tend to freeze from the bottom up, and dry out unevenly. For the compost, use a loam-based compost mixed with grit, and for winter, drainage is of more importance than feeding. Stand the pot on feet or bricks to allow water to escape. Soggy roots in cold weather will cause more problems than frost.
Add colour that works through the cold
Some plants flower in the winter and provide colour at a time when not much else is in bloom. Winter-flowering pansies and violas thrive during the colder months and keep blooming on mild days. Heathers, especially Erica, provide colour with their pink, white, and purple blooms from November to December. Cyclamen coum is smaller than the large florist plants and flowers before its large leaves appear.
Foliage is just as valuable. Ivy softens the edge of the pot with its fall, and ornamental kale gives a cabbage-like sculptural rosette, and heucheras offer leaves in burgundy, lime, and amber. Plant closer together than you would in the summer. The cooler, deeper hues created by the Grey-leaved plants like Senecio or Helichrysum create contrast, and growth is slow so the plants won’t fill in the gaps as quickly.
Plant bulbs for a spring finish
The display should continue into March with tucking bulbs under the plants. Plant bulbs in layers, also called lasagne planting. First, plant the larger bulbs, such as tulips, about 15cm deep, then cover with compost. Next, add smaller bulbs, such as daffodils and crocuses, and plant them higher up, and finish with the surface plants.
Plant bulbs early November for an early spring show. Dwarf narcissi, snowdrops, and crocus are reliable in pots for early spring and miniature irises for late spring. Plant tulip bulbs for colour mid-spring, as the pansies will be winding down by then. Be sure to harden off any spring bulbs you may want to grow. Place pots against the wall if exposed to assist with cold protection during freezes.
Looking after pots through winter
Container planting needs much less water from November onwards but shouldn’t be allowed to completely dry out especially those planted under the eaves and close to house walls. Check them once every week or two by pushing a finger into the compost to check its moisture content. If it is dry then water in the morning on a mild day to avoid water freezing over the compost and roots at night.
Remove yellowing leaves and old flowers to keep plants blooming and to prevent grey mould in wet weather. Fertilise in early spring. In a hard frost, cover fragile terracotta planters in fleece or hessian, as the water in the soil can freeze and crack the pot. If you are able to, move the display closer to the house, where it will be warmer, and you will actually be able to enjoy it.
Take into account where the display will be viewed from. A pot by the front door will be viewed up close and detailed displays can reward a second look. Examples of displays close up include sarcococca and cyclamen leaves. Displays viewed from further away, for example from a kitchen window, may require larger and bolder plants. To create a deliberate display, matching the viewing distance with the size of plants will help the display appear planned and purposed instead of haphazard.
Creating a winter container isn’t difficult. With some evergreens, a few flowering plants, some bulbs, and not much effort, you’ll have colour at your door for the entire season. Better yet, you’ll have a container that’s ready to give over to summer planting. The best time to start is at the beginning of March, right when the days begin to lengthen.