GreenEarth’s 5 Favorite Plants For A Colorful Winter Landscape

Even though Florida’s a state not known for snowfall, our landscaping still changes in winter. And less hardy varieties of flowers won’t survive the Florida colder weather, like zinnias, sweet peas and portulaca.

If you’d like to give your commercial landscaping a welcomed burst of color this season, consider our five favorite flowers for a colorful winter landscape in the Florida Panhandle.

Pansies

These durable yet delicate-looking flowers with darker coloring in the middle, and different color petals come in a host of bright, pretty hues. Some are solid and some are multicolor, and our clients love mixing and matching them.

Consider planting fall colors, or even show pride in your favorite football team in the winter months, planting ACC football school colors for a blanket of team spirit! Plant pansies where they’ll get full sun, and they’ll grow well.

Violas

Some violas look a bit like pansies, especially in the broad range of rich color. The contrasting color in the middle of the flower can be similar, but the petals are shaped and arranged differently.

Violas are great for winter because they’re cold-hardy. Unlike pansies which prefer sun, you’ll want to plant violas in a shadier area. They do well in containers, and are often used in planter beds and as borders. They like full sun to partial shade.

Begonias

We recommend begonias for homes in areas with a large deer population. The deer won’t touch them! Begonias also look a little like pansies, but only come in solid colors. You’ll see them in whites, reds and pinks.

Begonias are good to plant in hanging containers, and they’re also commonly used as bedding plants. They do well in partial shade.

Snapdragons

Snapdragons are a popular accent plant, as they grow taller than the other flowers, and they grow on a stalk which adds variety in terms of shape.

Snapdragons come in many colors, like yellow, orange, white, red and pink, and some have two colors on their petals. Your snapdragons will do best in full sunlight.

Mustard

Mustard plants are nice to add to flower beds as an accent or on their own. The yellow mustard flowers are small, but the plants grow higher than pansies, violas and begonias. When planted in a large group, the flowers stand out like a beautiful carpet. Mustard grows well in full sun or partial shade.

Non-Flowering Accent Plants

If you’re looking for some non-flowering accent plants, consider dusty miller, which is a grayish plant that looks like lamb’s ear. It has texture and a muted coloring, and likes partial shade.

Another popular option is ornamental kale, which looks like blooming cabbage, and comes in a variety of eye-catching colors. Full to partial sun is helpful.

Where to Plant Colorful Winter Flowers?

Plant your winter flowers for maximum impact and viewing. That sounds obvious, but your commercial tenants and their visitors should enjoy the flower beds in winter months even though they may not be using the outdoor space as much.

Make sure the flowers are easily seen from inside the building and even the parking lot. You’ll also want them in a prominent location — aka focal point. Some common focal points for commercial properties include:

• signage — streetside and inside the property
• building entrances
• along walkways
• along driveways and boulevards

GreenEarth Can Add Color to Your Commercial Landscaping

If you’re thinking about adding some winter color to your commercial landscaping, the experts at GreenEarth can help you choose the best flowers for your property. We can design a plan for making your property look its best with landscaping and we can maintain it so your site always looks inviting and well cared for.

If you’d like a consultation or want to know what we can do to help you, give us a call at our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959, or call our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010 to set up an appointment. You can also fill out the online form on our website to schedule a consultation.

Images: Pansies, Violas, Begonias, Snapdragons, Mustard, Dusty Miller, Kale