The metro Atlanta area can be a dull place for winter landscapes. Trees have lost their leaves and most perennials have died back.
This is a great time to outline and accent your property with bright seasonal color, bulbs, and evergreen perennials!
A “hardy zone” denotes an area where the plant material will thrive. Atlanta is predominately a zone 7b. This means that plants will survive when the weather is between five to ten degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperatures drop below, plants for a zone 7b will not survive.
Because of the zone in Atlanta and the winter temperatures being largely unpredictable, it creates a greater opportunity for creativity with the plant material that will survive and thrive.
Here are seven plants that can add some much needed winter color to your Atlanta landscape.
Pansy
One of the top seasonal color choices for winter in a zone 7b are pansies. They come in a variety of colors including yellow, orange, white, blue, purple, and rose. They have a larger face and bloom throughout the season.
Viola
Violas are another popular seasonal color choice and can add winter color to your Atlanta landscape. They come in all of the colors that the Pansy does, but there are also variations such as yellow with a violet wing, and yellow with a white wing, as well as many other variations.
Violas have a small face, or bloom, but are still highly visible. They also will bloom the entire winter season and are hardy in Atlanta. Violas grow together to create a “blanket” effect after they are installed and given a few weeks to establish and spread.
Cabbage And Kale
Ornamental cabbage and kale are used as seasonal color accents within the pansy and viola beds. They are a great way to add winter color to your Atlanta landscape. They also get more compact as the weather gets colder.
They are available in green, green with a white or pink center, or red. Cabbage tends to look “leafier” and kale has a more ruffled look to the foliage.
Daffodils
While bulbs do not flower all winter season, they will still come up while the pansy and violas are in the ground so we pick out the colors at the same time. A bulb looks like a giant seed.
They are planted six to eight inches deep in a group throughout the back quarter of the flower bed and will come up between February and the end of March depending on the severity of the winter temperatures. All of our bulbs come from Holland and have the highest success rate for bloom and show.
They are a nice spring “surprise” and a great sign that we are transitioning from winter to spring.
Daffodils are a common bulb used in Atlanta. They are perennial and will come back every year.
Ranging from yellow, orange, and white, Daffodils have a three week bloom season and are the perfect way to add winter color to your Atlanta landscape. However, when they are planted in large swaths they appear to have a much longer season since some start later or earlier than others in the grouping.
Hyacinth
Hyacinth bulbs are extremely fragrant. They are shorter and have limited visibility in flowerbeds.
They are most frequently used in flower pots and are available in apricot, white, pink, yellow, and blue. Hyacinths are susceptible to rot, so they are used with caution and one must take their conditions into consideration.
Tulips
Tulips are by far the most popular bulb in Atlanta. They provide an excellent show, and tower above the flowers for a high impact “pop!”. Tulips come in all colors except blue and they start in a tear drop bloom that falls open as they mature.
Let’s Plan For Spring Together
Highgrove Partners can help you plan which plants to add winter color to your Atlanta landscape today. Add life to your landscape this winter and contact Highgrove at (678) 298-0550 or use the contact form to the right to schedule a free consultation.
Last modified: June 2, 2021