8 container plants that will burst into colour just in time for Christmas – they'll create a perfect festive garden display

While much of the garden will be looking bleak and barren come December, adding a few cheery winter-flowering plants in containers is an easy way of brightening things up so the outlook doesn’t feel so grey.

And now is the perfect time to get planting if you’re thinking about container plants that will bloom in time for Christmas. Get plants started off now and you’ll be giving them a head start, resulting in a brighter and bolder display of winter-flowering blooms when December comes around.

‘For colour that lasts into December, look at a mix of hardy winter bedding plants, late perennials and a few shrubs that will genuinely keep on going,’ says Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres. ‘Pansies and violas are brilliant workhorses at this time of year and will flower through most winters, especially in pots or sheltered borders. But there are plenty of other options that will bring winter colour too.'

1. Christmas rose

‘One of my favourite plants for adding winter colour to a garden is the hellebores orChristmas rose,’ says Julian. ‘With flat, white flowers and lush greenery, they start to open from midwinter, but in a mild December you’ll often see the first blooms by late in the month, especially on early varieties.’

‘There are some fabulous plants you can pot now to ensure a lovely display at Christmas time,’ says Craig Wilson, co-founder and gardening expert at Gardeners Dream. ‘The Christmas rose, in particular the helleborous niger, will give your garden a beautiful bloom come Christmas, with the whites of the rose offering a classic festive feel.

‘Christmas roses can be planted anytime between now and November. When planting roses, make sure to soak the roots of the plant in water first and place it in a pot that is around 12 to 24 inches deep to accommodate its long roots. Ensure that the hole in your pot is twice as wide and deep as the root ball of the rose before placing it gently in and patting down with good drainage soil.’

‘Place in a sheltered, shady spot in your garden and water around once a week to begin with, relying on natural rainfall once established, unless the winter brings a significantly dry period,’ adds Craig.

Where to buy Christmas rose plants:

• Gardeners Dream: Add festive colour with this pretty helleborous niger, from £12.99.
• Gardening Express: Or try this dramatic deep red Helleborus x hybridus 'Double Ellen Red', £15.99.

Shop these frost-proof containers

2. Winter heather

‘Winter-flowering heathers such as Erica carnea and E. × darleyensis flower from December into May, giving low, neat colour when most other plants are dormant,’ says Julian. 'Compact in size, heathers are ideal for containers and small gardens; just ensure you use well-drained, neutral to acid soil and they should thrive.’

'Cold-loving, low-growing plants that cover pots in shades of vivid magenta, ruby red and fresh white, when everything else looks bleak, winter-flowering heathers are super easy to grow and a great choice for beginners,’ says Jack Tian, plant expert from ThornOasis at Palmstreet app.

'Pack winter heathers tightly around the edge of a container to frame taller plants,’ advises Jack, ‘and position containers in full sun or light, open shade. Unlike summer plants, these can tolerate multi-purpose compost, though mixing in a bit of acidic soil will make them happier.'

Where to buy winter heather plants:

• B&Q: Add colour with a pack of mixed winter heathers, £14.99.
• Hedges Direct: Or try this pretty all-white Calluna GardenGirls White, £5.99.

3. Violas

‘Violas are another great choice for winter flowers, with a vibrancy that will add a lovely pop of colour for those darker days, says Craig.

‘For violas, your pot size should be about eight to twelve inches deep, and you will need to leave around six inches between each viola plant,' advises Craig. 'Place in a lighter position in your garden and water about once a week, reducing if rainfall increases. Also, it’s important to deadhead your violas regularly to ensure fresh blooms keep coming throughout the winter months.'

‘And with all winter containers, make sure to raise your pots off the floor using pot feet to enhance drainage and allow excess winter rain to drain away properly.’

Where to buy viola plants:

• Thompson & Morgan: These elegant blue and white blooms will brighten up pots - Viola 'Delft Blue', from £14.99.
• Amazon: Try this mixed pack of 9 x pansy violas, £24.99.

4. Sarcococca

‘Sarcococca, also known as Christmas box, is a small, fragrant shrub that you can pot in September for festive colour,’ says Julian. ‘It’s grown mainly for its winter scent, and the tiny white flowers open from late December into January, but the buds are already formed now, so the plant looks good in a pot all winter.’

Super-easy to grow, sarcococca is often referred to as ‘unkillable’ as it tolerates most soil types, requires little maintenance and minimal watering, making it the perfect choice for beginners. Suitable for large pots and containers, opt for a compact option like xxxx if you have a smaller garden or patio.

Where to buy sarcococca plants:

• Gardeners Dream: Lush foliage and highly scented, try this Sarcococca hookeriana, £22.99.
• Crocus: Or try this sweetly-scented pure white sarcococca confusa sweet box, from £7.99.

5. Viburnum tinus

‘Viburnum tinus is a low-maintenance evergreen shrub with pretty pinky white flower clusters that will bring colour to both winter borders and seasonal containers,’ suggests Julian. ‘Go for a large pot and plant viburnum in September, keeping it in sun or part shade. You’ll often see the first white flower clusters opening by mid‑ to late December in a mild year.’

‘Always choose frost-proof pots for outdoor displays over winter,’ says Jack. ‘Avoid standard terracotta, which absorbs water, expands in a freeze and cracks. Instead choose ceramic, resin, or wood if you can.'

‘Sit your exterior pots on bricks or pot feet to elevate them. This allows heavy winter rain to drain away easily, stopping the compost from turning into ice that contributes to root rot.’

‘And don’t feed container plants between November through January,’ adds Jack. ‘They are not producing new growth and cannot absorb nutrients as easily.’

Where to buy viburnum tinus plants:

• Primrose: Long-lasting pink flowers, accentuated by darker-toned foliage, try this Viburnum Tinus Eve Price, from £17.49.
• Thompson & Morgan: Or go for the winter-flowering all-white Viburnum tinus 'French White', £34.99.

6. Mahonia

‘When it comes to winter-flowering fragrant shrubs, Mahonia is another top pick for outdoor pots, with its clusters of yellow flowers, holly-like leaves and sweet scent,’ suggests Julian.

‘Varieties like Mahonia × media ‘Charity’ are certainly worth a try. Plant a small specimen in a large pot in September in a sheltered, sunny spot and well-drained soil. It often starts its yellow, scented flower spikes from late November into December.’

Mahonia copes well with root competition, so can be underplanted with similarly shade-loving companions such as heuchera, skimmia or ferns, or try planting spring bulbs in the same container to add a flash of colour early in the new year.

Where to buy mahonia plants:

• Dobies: Add a burst of cheery colour with this Mahonia x media 'Winter Sun', from £12.99.
• Gardening Expressz: Or go for the orangey tones of this Mahonia nitens cabaret, £24.99.

7. Christmas cactus

'When it comes to indoor plants that will bloom in time for the festive period, then Christmas cactus is the classic favourite, producing a luscious array of bright flowers in December,’ says Jack.

‘Christmas Cactus are a type of tropical plant, so they dislike too much water in their soil,’ advises Jack. ‘Keep them happy by using a free-draining, compost mixture and keep them in a brightly lit room but away from scorching midday sun. To encourage winter growth, give this plant some rest in the fall by cutting back on watering and keeping it in cooler temperatures.'

Where to buy Christmas cactus plants:

• Crocus: Enjoy a long-last display of colour indoors with this Schlumbergera orange flowered Christmas cactus, from £10.39.
• B&Q: Or go for the white blooms of this white Christmas Cactus Schlumbergera indoor plant, £19.99.

8. Poinsettia

'Poinsettia is the iconic choice for bright Christmas foliage,’ says Jack. ‘Its magnificent, brightly coloured leaves provide instant, festive cheer indoors all season long, making it one of the best Christmas houseplants.’

'Poinsettias are incredibly sensitive to cold draughts and temperature drops,’ adds Jack. ‘Keep poinsettias happy by placing them in a warm, stable room with plenty of bright, indirect light and water only when the top of the soil feels dry.’

‘And my top tip: never buy a poinsettia sitting near the automatic entrance doors in the store. The cold draughts will cause the leaves to drop a few days after you get it home.’

Where to buy poinsettia plants:

• Gardeners Dream: Fill rooms with festive colour with this cheery red Poinsettia plant, £24.99.
• Plants4Presents: Or go for an alternative to classic red with this White Poinsettia, £33.

So there you have it... Get started planting now to ensure a colourful display of blooms come Christmas.