12 Colorful Plants for Small Gardens in Winter

Are you looking to liven up a wintry garden with some vivid colors? In winter, after annual flowers have faded, most trees have dropped their leaves, and many perennial shrubs will have died back a garden can often look a bit empty. There are however some amazing evergreen plants that can add vibrant color to a small garden in winter.

Studies even show that being around plants in winter is linked to better mental health. So having brightly colored evergreen plants around can help to boost your mood on those cold, wintry days.

Related Read | 6 Surprising Benefits of Evergreens in a Small Garden

Most winter hardy evergreens have fairly simple, green leaves. They can add lush green foliage to a garden, but sometimes it’s nice to have a wider variety of textures and colors!

Colorful plants for small gardens in winter

These plants will bring vibrant reds, pinks, purples, oranges, and yellows too. They’re all winter hardy, and are at their most beautiful in the depths of winter and early spring, where cheerful color really makes a difference in a small garden!

1. Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

A beautiful little evergreen shrub that becomes flushed with pink, bronze, and red throughout the winter. As its name suggests, heavenly bamboo, also known as sacred bamboo, has delicate bamboo-like foliage.

You’ll also have a display of pretty white flowers in summer, followed by bright red berries in autumn. But through the winter, you can enjoy the delicate, flushed foliage.

USDA zones: 6-9

2. Heaths (Erica)

Many heath cultivars will produce flowers from autumn, right through to spring. They have tiny, bell-shaped flowers which completely cover the foliage from top to bottom, creating a colorful winter display.

You can find them in a wide variety of colors. From the golden, evergreen foliage of Erica arborea ‘Alberts Gold’, to the sweet pink flowers of Erica × darleyensis. Most varieties stay very small too, making them ideal for smaller garden spaces.

USDA zones: 4-8 (depending on variety)

3. Prickly heath (Gaultheria mucronata) 

In the same family as heaths, Prickly Heath is a sweet little evergreen shrub with glossy leaves. In summer they’re covered with tiny bell-shaped flowers. But in autumn the flowers soon ripen into dense clusters of large, vibrantly colored berries.

Different varieties will produce different berry colors, ranging from pink, white, and red. They’re perfect for bringing vibrant color into the garden in early winter. It’s a lovely, colorful plant for a shady garden in winter.

USDA zones: 6-9

4. Dwarf Conifers 

Available in an amazing variety of textures and colors, dwarf conifers are an amazing evergreen for small gardens. Able to fit onto the tiniest balcony or patio, dwarf conifers are perfect for bringing year-round color and interest. From gleaming blue to warm orange foliage.

Some of my favorites include the silvery blue color of Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ and the spiraled foliage of Cryptomeria japonica ‘Spiralis’. They really are perfect evergreens for a balcony garden.

USDA zones: 2-9 (depending on the variety) 

5. Photinia Pink Crispy

Like heavenly bamboo, the foliage of photinia becomes flushed with shades of pink and bronze in winter. On photinia, however, the leaves have an amazing marbled pattern. Photinia is definitely a lovely addition if you’re looking for plants with pink foliage.

It’s perfect for adding some warm, vibrant shades to a small garden in winter. Photinia is only hardy down to around 14 Fahrenheit, so is only suitable for USDA hardiness zones 7-9.

USDA zones: 7-9

6. Firethorn (Pyracantha)

Throughout autumn and into winter, firethorns are covered in a flush of bright red or orange berries. For extra color, you can often find variegated varieties with green leaves edged with white. 

The only downside is that it’s covered in thorns too. So possibly not the best plant to include in a child friendly small garden.

USDA zones: 6-9

7. Dogwood (Cornus)

For something more dramatic, Cornus is definitely an eye-catching plant. The shrub itself is actually deciduous and loses its leaves in the fall. However, it’s the brightly colored stems for which dogwoods are most well known.

In fiery shades of red, yellow, and orange, dogwood stems add incredible vibrancy to a garden in winter. They contrast amazingly well against snow too!

USDA zones: 5-9

8. Sea Berry 

Covered in clusters of bright orange berries through the autumn and into winter, sea berry can bring in some much-needed color to a winter garden. The berries are also edible! Sea berries are packed with vitamin C, and they have an amazing history of being used for their medicinal and cosmetic value.

If you live in more of a coastal area or somewhere exposed to high winds sea berry (sea buckthorn in the UK) is a perfect colorful winter evergreen. Just note that its sale is restricted in some US states.

USDA zones: 3-7

9. Hellebores

Arriving in late winter, hellebores can add beautiful shades of dusky pinks and purple to a small garden.

As native woodland edge plants, they tolerate shady conditions and are lovely colorful plants for shaded areas. You can find them in shades of purple, pink, white, and yellow.

USDA zones: 6-9

10. Variegated Ivy

All ivy species will provide evergreen coverage throughout the winter, but for more color, variegated ivy can add some contrast. It’s also a lovely evergreen to provide screening.

It works really well in hanging baskets, once other trailing plants have died off in the frost. Mix it with heaths and pansies for a colorful late winter hanging basket.

USDA zones: 6-11

11. Loropetalum

Loropetalum, sometimes known as Chinese witch hazel, can add amazing color in winter. Throughout winter and spring, it’s covered in flowers that look like paper tassels. The evergreen foliage is generally a dramatic, deep red, but the flowers may be white or red depending on the variety.

Plant it in a pot near a door or window and enjoy its bright, showy foliage and flowers throughout the winter. The only issue is, like photinia, it’s not the hardiest plant on this list.

USDA zones: 7-10

12. Winter Flowering Camellia

Covered in blousy, white, red, or pink flowers in winter, camellia is definitely a welcome plant on a balcony or patio in winter. They have deep green, glossy foliage throughout the year, but in winter their flowers will add splashes of color.

Double-check the variety before buying as not all camellias flower in the winter. Some will only come into bloom in spring.

USDA zones: 6-10 (depending on the variety)