Even in the dark, cold days around the winter solstice, flowers can be seen in gardens of people who know what to plant and where to plant their choices. Any of these winter-bloomers would make a wonderful gift for gardeners who haven't yet discovered them.
One of the superstars that flowers from November to February is the Winter Jasmine (Jasminium nudiflorum)-all the more desirable because it's bone-hardy, thrives well and flowers in deep shade or full sun and tolerates all soils. It's a deciduous sprawler that should be tied to a support when young. If it's allowed to ramble it will make a large, loose ground-cover that roots where it touches.
But people who can do regular pruning and don't mind supporting it initially will find this jasmine fits nicely into small space. Later, the main framework hardens and support isn't as necessary. Its bright yellow non-fragrant flowers open quickly in frost-free spells.
Another winter treasure is the little hardy Cyclamen coum that produces pink or white buds as early as November. Coastal gardeners can enjoy flowers in December, but in the Fraser Valley the buds usually hide just under the soil until January when flowers begin appearing.
These pretty patterned cyclamen leaves are just three-inches tall but the corms they spring from enlarge steadily over the years producing an increasingly wide mat of flowers. These are shade plants happiest in woodsy welldrained soil. Cyclamen coum will even spread into lawns and since it begins going dormant in April, co-exists happily with lawnmowers. Since it's a Mediterranean plant, summer drought doesn't bother it. Leaves pop up again in mid fall. This cyclamen grows easily from seed. But since it's a sporadic germinator, seedpots should be retained for three years.
Also long-flowering is an early form of the Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger praecox) that begins blooming around Halloween through until mid January. Breeders have now developed "Jacob," which is another early flowering white Helleborus niger.
Most hellebores are shade plants that tolerate adversity well. But helleborus niger is more demanding of shade and nourishment than the others. It likes compost or other kinds of lavish fertilizing, moisture in dry periods and a light application of lime annually.
Another hellebore which is quite eye-catching from Christmas through to May is Helleborus foetidus. In December it thrusts up big bunches of perfectly round green buds. Through January these transform into green flower-cups with a maroon edge.
One of the most joy-giving winter shrubs is Viburnum bodnantense, which opens its fragrant pink flowers in October and continues its willingness to bloom until late March. When frost hits, the flowers vanish but tightly-closed buds still decorate the tree. As the temperature rises, the flowers open again. This viburnum tolerates clay and brief localized ponding after rain. It can survive most gardening mishaps and suits small space well since its new stems are vertical. Older stems begin arching out, but these are getting close to needing pruning anyway.
