English Winter Flowers

• Snowdrops are one of the winter-blooming flowers grown in English Gardens. Alice/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Liven up your garden with flowers that bloom all winter long, even when snow is on the ground. There are many winter flowers that keep on blooming outdoors, even when the weather turns nasty. Many of these are considered English winter flowers because that is where they are commonly seen. An English garden combines shrubs, annuals and perennials. English gardens literally engulf the entire area where they are planted and tend to have something blooming year-round.

Hellebore

• Hellebores are the star of the winter garden. hellebore flower image by hazel proudlove from Fotolia.com

  Hellebores are truly the kings of the winter garden and a staple plant in many English gardens. These colorful flowers begin blooming as early as November and the show goes on all winter long. Hellebore are shade garden plants that often die back during the hot summer months, and then in the fall as the weather cools down, the foliage begins growing again. The flowers come in a wide range of colors in both single and double forms. Some hellebores have finely divided ferny foliage and others have dark green, leathery-looking foliage. Hellebores often take as long as three years after being planted before they begin to bloom, and as long as eight years before they form a sizeable clump, according to the University of Missouri Extension.

Heaths and Heathers

• Heather in bloom heather image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com

  Heaths and heathers, botanically known as Calluna and Erica, are mounding evergreen shrubs that produce small, urn-shaped flowers during winter, according to Washington State University. The foliage often changes color during the winter months. The flowers, which may be single or double, come in an array of colors including purple, pink, white and red. Heathers and heaths are not large plants. They range in height from 10 to 24 inches. Prune them as soon as they finish blooming to maintain their shape. Heaths and heathers prefer moist soil, but make sure it is well drained. Amend the soil with organic matter and top dress the soil with 3 inches of compost yearly.

Mahonia

• Mahonia MAHONIA image by asb from Fotolia.com

  Mahonia produces fragrant yellow flowers and steel-blue fruit that birds devour, according to Mississippi State University. The flowers begin as early as January and persist into spring. The evergreen foliage changes colors as the season changes, offering additional ornamental value. Plant Mahonia in full sun or part shade, close to the entryway to your home, so the fragrance from the winter flowers can be enjoyed. Amend the soil with organic matter before planting. Mahonia must be watered deeply to thrive.