top of page

Winter Container Ideas: Easy Plant Combinations You Can Buy and Plant Today


Winter doesn’t have to mean a dull, empty garden. With the right plants and pots, you can create beautiful, low-maintenance containers that brighten up doorways, balconies and patios throughout the coldest months. The best part? These combinations are easy to plant and all the plants are available to order directly through our shop.


Here are my top winter container ideas you can recreate today.


1. Evergreen Structure + Winter Colour

Perfect for: Doorways, patios, balconies

What you’ll need:

  • Dwarf conifer or small evergreen shrub

  • Cyclamen (pink, white or red)

  • Heuchera

  • Trailing ivy


This combination gives you height, long-lasting evergreen structure, and pops of colour from cyclamen. Heuchera adds contrast, while ivy softens the edges.



2. Frost-Tolerant Herb Container (Looks Good + Edible)

Perfect for: Balcony railings, kitchen doorsteps

What you’ll need:

  • Rosemary (upright structure)

  • Thyme (spreading or golden varieties)

  • Sage (purple or green)

These herbs look fantastic through winter, tolerate frost, and give you something fresh to cook with. Add some gravel on top for a clean finish.


3. Winter White Container: Calm, Soft & Modern

Perfect for: Minimalist gardens, modern entrances

What you’ll need:

  • Hellebore (the star of the pot)

  • Snowdrops or white violas

  • Dusty miller (silver foliage)

  • Mini ornamental grass

Soft whites and silvers give a clean, frosty look. Hellebores flower for months, making them one of the best winter performers.


4. The Classic Winter Pot: Skimmia + Heather + Ivy

Perfect for: Everyone — this combo never fails

What you’ll need:

  • Skimmia (deep red buds that last all winter)

  • Winter heathers

  • Ivy or trailing vinca


5. Winter Grass & Berry Pot


Perfect for: Low-maintenance entrance pots

What you’ll need:

  • Carex or Festuca grass

  • Gaultheria (bright red berries)

  • Ferns for shade

This combination gives texture, movement and winter colour with almost zero maintenance.


How to Plant Your Winter Container (Quick Guide)

  1. Choose a pot with drainage holes

  2. Add crocks or gravel at the base

  3. Use peat-free compost

  4. Position the tallest plant at the back or centre

  5. Add fillers and trailers around the edge

  6. Water once, then only when the compost feels dry

Want Ready-Made Kits?

We're launching pre-designed winter container kits you can order and plant straight away — perfect for beginners or quick makeovers.


Need Help Planting Them?

South East Green Care offers container planting, garden maintenance, and seasonal setup across South East London and Kent.


 
 
 
bottom of page