The garden can cheer you up, even during the dark winter months. Gazing out the window on a cold winter morning makes the day brighter if you can see something lovely in your garden.

Here is my list of plants that you can choose from which will help to lighten your January garden and remind you that spring can’t be far away. Of course, if you live in southern regions you’re more likely to see these flowers during winter, but even in the north, you can give some of them a try. They may just bloom a little later in the winter, or early spring.

Bergenia is an evergreen perennial that has delicate pink, red or white flowers and large dark green leaves. It flowers from winter to mid spring. They look good on banks or under shrubs. They like a moist shady spot.

Winter aconites are small bulbs that have bright yellow cheerful flowers.

Snowdrops or Galanthus are another bulb and there are several varieties to choose from. Most are white with a small amount of green in the flower. They’re short and frequently bloom even when there’s snow on the ground.

Hellebores are perennials that have beautiful white, cream, green, pink or purple flowers throughout the winter and spring.

Winter heathers and winter flowering pansies also provide long-blooming color through the winter.

Winter flowering Jasmine makes a lovely fragrant climber to have by your doorway.

Winter Flowering Shrubs
Mahonia japonica is an evergreen upright shrub with lovely sprays of lemon or golden fragrant flowers.

Daphne mezeron is an upright deciduous shrub that has marvelously fragrant blooms all winter. They are pink or purple and come out on the bare stems to brighten up your garden.

Sarcococca humilis is a low growing evergreen shrub that has small but very fragrant white flowers.

Viburnham davidii is a small evergreen shrub that has decorative pink buds in winter which open to white flowers in early spring.

You don’t have to rely on flowering shrubs for your winter garden. Evergreen shrubs like boxwood or hollies can look lovely with the contrast of snow on them.

Also try a few dwarf conifers or a Euonymus with its variegated leaves of white or silver – these can all add to the shape and beauty of your winter garden.