We have a “Flower Season” series in the works… This one, though, is a topic for you if you love flowers and want to see more color in your garden in winter!
In this winter focused post, I’ve included around 16 winter blooming photos, mostly focusing on flowering shrubs, trees and vines to grow in SF Bay Area gardens or places with a similar Mediterranean climate. If you’ve got the right conditions, take some of these beauties and plant them! If you have a small garden, or little space, enjoy a potted plant.
How to choosing the right plant for the right spot?
-Know your exposure (sun/part sun/shade)
-Know your soil
-If possible, know each plant’s growth, size, habit and preferences
What Winter Flowers Looks Like in SF Bay Area
Before we go there, let’s divide the 12 months into seasons. According to the meteorological definition for the Northern Hemisphere..
Winter is: December, January, February
When to Plant winter flowering plants? Largely, you can plant any time of year here. (There are exceptions – yes!) But there are a number of advantages to planting, now, in late summer and fall, including:
1. Plant growth will begin to slow down (fall/winter) – This gives an opportunity for newly planted plants to establish a good root system.
2. Plant availability tends to good.
3. Plants tend to be fuller due to it being several months into the growing season.
Winter in BLOOM!
Leucadendron. SF, CA – February
Protea cynaroides – King Protea shrub. (Large pink flowers) – February
Boronia ‘Jack Maguire’s Red.’ SF, CA – February
Banksia shrub + flower. February
Leucospermum – shrub. SF, CA – February
Close-up: Leucospermum flowers. SF, CA
Close-up flower: Star Magnolia tree/shrub
Magnolia soulangeana ‘Alba.’ Mill Valley – February
Magnolia and Plum tree. Mill Valley, CA
Saucer magnolia tree in front of San Francisco Victorian
Camellia japonica in Bloom
Camellia japonica in bloom
Pyracantha (firethorn) shrub – Red Berries
Aquilegia formosa – Western columbine
Leucadendron – shrub
Helleborus -ground cover
Clematis armandii – vine
Clematis montana ‘Rubens’ – vine
Aloe – winter blooming varieties
Conclusion
Hope you found this post helpful! It’s good to remember that the winter garden can repeatedly cheer you with blooms. Even provide you with a bounty of cut flowers! If you enjoy flowers – yet find your garden to be missing color in one, or many seasons, check back soon for the complete 4-part Flower Season series. Winter is the first of the series, and you know what’s next. 🙂 To learn more about several of the winter blooming plants listed (native to the southern hemisphere) here are blog posts with more info:
12 Cool Australian Plants for your California Garden
Want a Hip Garden? Know these 5 Protea Family Plants!
7 Good Cut Flowers: Grow your Own!
