Plant cheaply and add colour to your garden in winter.

Affordable Plant Selection for Winter

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums offer spectacular flowering and a varied colour palette, in warm tones of orange, yellow, red, or pink. While they are primarily autumn plants, they are among the perennials that bloom the latest in the season, right up to the brink of winter. The latest chrysanthemums are at the peak of their flowering in November. Very affordable, chrysanthemums can be purchased in pots, in a smaller format than in containers, but at a more advantageous price, for perennials that quickly gain size and volume. The price of chrysanthemums in pots at Promesse de Fleurs ranges from €3.90 to €4.90. You can also sow these perennial or annual chrysanthemums for a modest price. The latter will reappear elsewhere in the garden if conditions suit them.

Perennial chrysanthemums are easy to maintain: a sunny location and a few waterings if necessary. Their clump grows larger each year reliably.

Violas, Pansies, or Violets

Even though they are low to the ground, violas are perfect for adding a splash of colour to the dark corners of the garden in winter. Most often biennial or perennial, they form small carpets of blue, purple, white, or warmer-hued flowers, blooming from late winter for the earliest varieties, starting in February and March. They flower for a long time. Their price is generally modest, making them an excellent choice for budget-conscious gardeners. They can be found between €2.90 and €4.90 per pot on our site. They require little maintenance, thriving in well-drained soil and partial sun exposure.

Heathers

Known for their winter flowering, heathers bring unique texture and colour to the garden, with dense clumps of evergreen foliage covered in often soft colours, pink or white. Sometimes, the foliage is golden yellow or bronze. They are perfect when planted in groups to create a mass effect. Winter heathers are hybrids derived from the species Erica darleyensis and Erica carnea, although there are a few other species. These undershrubs bloom from November until April or May, depending on whether they are early or late bloomers, but their long-lasting flowering means they are always in bloom in the heart of winter. They are economical, especially when purchased in pots. They can be found from €3.90 in 8/9 cm pots or around €7 in 12 cm pots. Heathers reach a good size, typically 3 years after planting and mature size after 5 years.

These plants prefer well-drained acidic soils and sunny or semi-shaded locations. Plant them in full sun or partial shade for optimal growth.

Nandina ‘Fire Power’

Why ‘Fire Power’ in particular? Because this Nandina is available at a competitive price if you are willing to buy it in a small size. In pots, it is available on our site for €4.90 each, at a height of 10/15 cm. This shrub reaches 60 cm in height at maturity with an equivalent width. Nandina ‘Fire Power’ makes a good groundcover, appreciated for its lovely evergreen foliage, coloured purple-red in winter. It is ideal for low hedges or as a border or mass plant where it naturally takes on a rounded habit.

It thrives in full sun or partial shade and requires moderate watering, in non-calcareous, well-drained soil.

Cyclamen coum

The Cyclamen coum develop lovely butterfly-like flowers, white or pink on beautiful dark green marbled foliage. They bloom from January to March, at a time when we are delighted to see them appear. They are not only affordable but also easy to maintain. They are sold as bulbs, for example, 5 bulbs for a selling price of €9.50 on our site. They are also available in 8/9 cm pots for €7.90.

They prefer light, cool, well-drained soil, and a shaded exposure. These plants are perfect for woodlands or cool rockeries.

Hellebores

Hellebores offer elegant winter flowering, in shades of white, pink, purple, and green, on decorative evergreen foliage. Helleborus niger allows you to have flowers from December, and Helleborus orientalis in late winter. Although a bit more expensive, they are a long-lasting investment for the garden due to their longevity. Some hellebores can even be quite costly. But on our site, you will find the “delivered in” filter that allows you to select the potting in pots. This gives you access to affordable Hellebores, ranging from €4.90 to €6.90 for 8/9 cm pots. You can also find in the tabs at the top of the page, a category of ‘hellebores on promotion’. These are reliable and faithful evergreen perennials. Even if they start small, they will gradually form beautiful clumps of ample foliage. In 3 to 5 years, you can start to have beautiful specimens. Hellebores bloom in mid-winter, often between January and April.

They prefer rich, well-drained soils and semi-shaded locations. These plants are ideal for the shady corners of the garden, where it can be difficult to know what to plant.

Heucheras

With their colourful evergreen foliage, heucheras are an excellent choice for adding texture and colour to the garden all year round. They are affordable and easy to grow, preferring well-drained soils and partial shade exposure. Heucheras are valued for their foliage in various colours, ranging from purple to lime green, bronze and silver, to almost black. These plants are perfect for borders or as groundcover. They can be found on our site, sometimes available as bare roots and most often in pots. The pot option is again more economical than containers. Prices range from €3.70 to €9 depending on the varieties. They are durable and reliable under good growing conditions and form advantageous clumps. In winter, their richly coloured foliage is a joy for the gardener.

They thrive in rich, well-drained soil, and partial shade exposure.

Colourful Stemmed Dogwoods

The colourful stemmed dogwoods are from the species Cornus sanguinea, Cornus alba, Cornus stolonifera. They display very bright branches in winter, once the leaves have fallen. The branches are yellow, red, orange, or purple, providing a striking contrast against the winter landscape. The dogwood is inexpensive and easy to maintain, requiring just an annual pruning to maintain its bright colour. It forms a bush about 2 m in all directions. It is easy to grow, preferring rather cool, well-drained soil and sunny to semi-shaded exposure. By selecting the “pot” and “bare roots” filters, you can find dogwoods on our site for €3.70 and €4.90.

Hebe ‘Turkish Delight’

The Hebe ‘Turkish Delight’ is a variety of shrubby veronica that offers very colourful foliage all year round and a discreet summer flowering in blue mauve. It is perfect for adding colour to the garden. In winter, its evergreen leaves are a deep purple, almost black. It reaches 90 cm in height and spread at maturity, with a rounded, dense bushy habit. Affordable and requiring little maintenance, it thrives in well-drained soil and sunny exposure. It can be found on the Promesse de Fleurs site for €6.90 in pots.

Grasses

Finally, incorporate grasses. They offer unique texture and movement to the garden in winter and quickly form large clumps. They are very economical and require little maintenance, adapting to a variety of soil conditions and exposure. They vary in colour, from burnt gold to burgundy red, and in size, offering many options for any type of garden. They are easy to grow, adapting to a variety of soil and exposure conditions.

Clockwise: Erica darleyensis ‘December Red’, Cornus ‘Winter Flame’, Cyclamen coum, Heuchera ‘Berry Smoothie’, Hebe ‘Turkish Delight’

Saving on Plant Selection

When it comes to landscaping a garden in winter, the choice of plants plays a crucial role not only in aesthetics but also in budget management. The previously selected plants offer several economic advantages that make them wise choices for budget-conscious gardeners.

• Affordable purchase price: Most of these plants, especially when bought as pots or bare roots, are very affordable. This purchasing method is particularly economical, as it allows for acquiring quality plants at a lower cost compared to already established plants in large pots.
• Ease of maintenance: The selected plants require little care once established. A garden that is easy to maintain translates to long-term savings.
• Longevity: The longevity of these plants is an undeniable economic asset. Plants like hellebores or red dogwood are known for their durability, reducing the need for frequent replanting.
• Adaptability and resilience: The ability of these plants to adapt to various climatic and soil conditions is also an economic advantage. Their resilience reduces the risk of losses due to harsh winter conditions, meaning fewer replacements and thus lower expenses.
• Multiplication and propagation: Many of these plants can be easily multiplied by division or propagation by cuttings. This characteristic allows gardeners to propagate their existing plants to fill other spaces in the garden at no additional cost.
• Fast-growing plants: Incorporating fast-growing plants like grasses can provide coverage and visual impact quickly, reducing the need to purchase more plants to fill spaces.

Grasses, which are only pruned in early spring, bring presence, movement, and texture to the winter garden

Tips for saving on garden landscaping

Creating a colourful and attractive winter garden on a budget is entirely possible by following a few clever tips. Here are some suggestions to maximise the impact of your garden in winter while minimising expenses.

Purchasing

Optimising plant purchases can be achieved by considering seasonality. Generally, nurseries and garden centres offer promotions at the end of the season or off-season. For instance, buying plants at the end of autumn or the beginning of winter can often lead to significant discounts. Additionally, participating in local plant fairs or exchanges among gardeners can be an excellent way to acquire plants at a lower cost or even for free.

Maintenance

• Composting: Using homemade compost is an effective way to fertilise your garden at no extra cost. Compost enriches the soil and promotes plant health.
• Water-saving: Implementing a drip irrigation system or using rainwater harvesting barrels can significantly reduce water consumption and thus associated costs.
• Biological control against diseases and pests: Favouring biological control methods to manage diseases and pests can be more economical and sustainable than repeatedly purchasing chemical products. It is also obviously much more beneficial to ecosystems.

Composting household waste is the most economical way to significantly improve the soil in your garden and care for your plants