Photo: Danita Delimont (Shutterstock)
Those who are new to gardening and live somewhere with winters that can get pretty cold and/or snowy may have been surprised to find out that some of the plants they grew during the early part of the pandemic did not live to see what should have been their second spring. In these cases, the deceased plants should have either been brought inside for the season, or not planted at all in the area.
But that’s not the case for all plants. In fact, there are several varieties that do just fine when they stay outside year-round. In an article for Hunker, expert gardener Teo Spengler provides several examples of plants that are hardy enough to make it through the harsh winter weather and and into the spring unscathed. Here’s what to know.
Winterberry
OK, you probably could have guessed this one on your own, but Spengler singles winterberry out not only because it’s very well suited for freezing temperatures, but also because the bushes provide local birds with sustenance during the winter.
Creeping dogwood
Also known as “bunchberry,” creeping dogwood covers the ground with leathery leaves that turn purple as the weather gets colder, Spengler says.
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Limelight hydrangea shrubs
Like their fellow hydrangea shrubs, limelight hydrangeas produce enormous light green blooms that transition into pale pink and cream in late summer. “These deciduous shrubs grow in a rounded shape with large, rich-green leaves and 10-inch flowers,” Spengler writes. “They drop their leaves just before winter when they go dormant.”
Additional examples
Check out Spengler’s article to learn more about other plants that can survive harsh winters, including:
Tricolor caucasian stonecropGolden London prideDeadnettleBearberryDwarf Alberta spruceBlue hollyJapanese maplePeoniesAlliumsHybrid Lenten roseCranesbill “geraniums” Coral bells
