Some gardeners think that winter is too cold to be having flowers in the garden, but some of the prettiest in the garden are the winter flowers. The true gardener of flowers knows that winter flowers are very hardy and will blossom on and off from the months of October through March.

Winter flowers can be very rare in frigid climates. There are only a few that are tough enough to come upon a way to get through the frozen soil and snow. There are many species that are able to survive in cool climates and only a few can live in the cold weather. 

How cold is too cold is an important question to ask. If the ground is frozen the answer is simple, yes it is too cold. Now here is an even tougher question, will it freeze again? It is very hard to know when the ground freezing will stop. But if you answered with a definite 'no', there are some flowers that you can plant and count on blooming.

The best way to start your winter flowers in the garden is to plant some hardy shrubs that produce bright colored berries, and you may just find some that produce flowers. It is best to find these plants in the fall because in mid-winter we may not be able to find anything that has very much color. 

A common flowering shrub is the witch hazel, they are very strong and their flowers will most likely bloom during December and January. They are so tough and hardy that their flowers will keep on blooming through snow and ice. Their flowers will be either yellow or red and their scent is very spicy. The classic winter roses will blossom during the months of January and February. These roses are Christmas Rose, Ivory Prince, and Lantern Rose and their colors will range from ivory and burgundy to a very light green. The flowers of the Pink Dawn Vibernum have a distinct almond scent and flower from October through March.

Holly will add some beautiful color to a winter garden. This bush has dark green leaves and bright red berries. The Gauthier bush, which is also referred to as wintergreen, has berries that are of burgundy color, are edible, and taste like, you guessed it, wintergreen. There are two shrubs that are related: the callicarpa which has bright purple berries, and the photinia which has dark red berries, that will probably last all through the winter months. In the milder climates, the rosemary will sometimes bloom during the winter months. Ornamental cabbages do not flower but are available in different depth, textures, and colors. The foliage colors on these cabbages can range from greens to a soft yellows, lilacs, and purples. A heath is believed to be the hardiest winter flower; they can survive to a temperature as low as -25F. They are beautiful evergreen plants that have tiny bell shaped flowers with the colors of magenta, purple, red, and light pink and will bloom into spring. 

There are many flowers that can not survive during the cold winter months, so we can appreciate those that can. While the snow is falling outside and the air is very cold, seeing these plants with their beautiful winter flowers and berries cheers us up. Planting a winter garden is a little easier now that we know there are winter flowers that we can enjoy.