15 Easy Winter Container Ideas for Southern Gardens
Winter containers highlight the season in color and texture. In southern gardens, refreshing containers take many of us into early spring. Join gardening expert Katherine Rowe for late winter inspiration for easy potted combinations.

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Winter is a quiet time in the landscape, but not when it comes to containers in southern gardens. They represent the hallmarks of the season in vibrant blooms, leafy greens, and textural contrast.
Here, we bring inspiration for uncomplicated container designs to refresh the late winter display. Hardy annuals, evergreen specimens, and frost-tolerant edibles get us through early spring in the American South. Depending on your climate, they’ll benefit from a protected area, like nestled on a porch or patio, or cold-hardy species can stand alone. Embellish with annuals for a burst of color.
The southern region holds a range of growing zones, from USDA zone 6 in the upper south to tropical zones 10-11. Winter temperatures and conditions vary widely. In frost-free growing areas, container selections are abundant this time of year. Those of us in cooler zones need to be mindful of hardiness and frost dates in selecting winter container plants.
Our list of southern winter container options includes cold hardy anchor specimens with seasonal interest, like flowering trees and shrubs, in addition to perennials, frost-tolerant annuals, and ornamental vegetables. We’ll highlight a star performer from each arrangement; use them in any combination to mix and match for a winning composition that suits your climate and style, especially as we inch closer to spring.
Pansies and Violas

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botanical name Viola spp. |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 6” |
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hardiness zones 1-10 |
Violas and pansies are both in the Viola genus and are signature cool season blooms. In almost endless shades and color combinations, pre-arranged mixes make it easy to add complementary colors and infill any planting gaps. Or, opt for a group or mass of single colors for a rich display.
Violas have sweet faces above petite mounding foliage and pansies with bigger flowers on slightly larger plants. Opt for trailing pansies for delicate blooms to spill over a planter’s edge. In this arrangement, cool blues stand out against the leafy backdrop and coral accents of heuchera and snapdragons. Light blue and trailing ‘Freefall Marina’ pansies create a lovely wave of color. Golden creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) spills softly.
Pansies and violas are frost-tolerant and grow easily in well-draining soils. Deadhead spent blooms (especially for pansies) to promote continual flowering over seed production.
Star Magnolia

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botanical name Magnolia stellata |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 15-20’ |
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hardiness zones 4-8 |
Magnolia stellata is among the first to show in early spring with starbursts of strappy white petals. The milky blooms open on silvery branches before the foliage emerges.
Star magnolia is one of the smallest in the genus and is a graceful multi-trunked specimen. Fuzzy buds develop in winter and open to the starry four-inch flowers late in the season. Pink fruit capsules emerge after flowering and reveal orange-red berries. ‘Royal Star’ is a robust variety with many double snowy flowers from pink buds.
Unlike others in the genus, this magnolia retains a densely branched and compact form. It’s a fit across garden scales and a good starter in large containers. If it outgrows the pot, move it into the landscape for years of enjoyment.
Snapdragons

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botanical name Antirrhinum majus |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 6-36” |
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hardiness zones 7-10 |
Snapdragons bring the “thriller” element to container arrangements with their tall, upright spikes of intense color. As hardy annuals, they bloom throughout the winter in warm climates and flourish in spring, summer, and fall in colder areas. The classic beauties attract pollinators with their crowded tubular blooms, and also make showy cut flowers.
Use bold snapdragons among pansies and violas and with evergreens, too. Sedges and Japanese forest grass, along with ivy and creeping jenny, add bright greens and contrasting textures.
There’s a snap color for every preference. ‘Twinny Peach’ has double blooms in antique peach and yellow tones. Its compact size of 12 inches tall is ideal for bouquets and containers. Remove spent blooms to promote flowering.
Pieris

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botanical name Pieris japonica |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 8-10’ |
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hardiness zones 4-8 |
Pieris has pendulous flowers that hang gracefully from leafy stems. The flower buds develop in late summer and hold all winter as suspended beads. Late in the season and into early spring, the buds open to delicate bell blossoms with a sweet fragrance.
New growth is bronzey-red, aging to deep, glossy green. The narrow, pointed leaves appear in bushy rosettes along the stems. ‘Cavatine’ is a small variety loaded with buds. The slow-grower reaches its mature two-foot height over a decade. ‘Mountain Fire’ is a taller favorite with an all-over glow as new growth emerges crimson.
‘Variegata’ ‘has ivory margins to its blue-green leaves, pink-tinted new growth, and pure white bells. ‘Passion Party Pink Frost’ has demure pinkish-red blooms that age to silvery pink. Leaves boast stable variegation in deep, glossy green with creamy yellow margins.
Pieris thrives in acidic, well-drained soils. Prune as blooms fade to promote bud set for the next season.
Daphne ‘Aureomarginata’

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botanical name Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ |
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sun requirements Partial shade |
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height 3-4’ |
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hardiness zones 7-9 |
Daphne odora is a superbly fragrant flowering daphne, elegant in leaf and flower. ‘Aureomarginata’ has long, mint green leaves with creamy yellow edges. Its mounding form and compact habit tailor it to container culture.
Deep purple-pink blossoms emerge in late winter and delight the chilly garden with an intensely sweet perfume. ‘Aureomarginata’ is a bit hardier than the species, withstanding temperatures to about 10°F (-12°C). Winter daphne is an evergreen species with all-season appeal, and blue berries follow the small bloom clusters.
Daphne prefers moist, very well-drained soils and can dry out slightly between waterings. Roots are slow to establish and sensitive to transplanting; start with a pot one or two sizes up from the nursery container. Place daphne near a walkway, entrance, or patio to experience the fragrance.
Heuchera

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botanical name Heuchera spp. |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 1-2’ |
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hardiness zones 3-9 |
Heuchera, or coral bells, are North American native perennials with cultivars in unique shapes and colors that become bold filler specimens in pots. Here, clustered bowls of coral bells and pansies are simple but lovely, brightening the winter landscape with a full look.
Heuchera offers high contrast in deep reds, purples, apricots, and bright greens. They make exciting companions for cool season annuals, dormant ornamental grasses, or as stand-alone groupings.
After the season, pair them with warm-season blooms or other perennials. Move them to the front of the perennial border as a colorful accent. In the south, they benefit from morning sun with protection from intense afternoon rays.
Calendula

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botanical name Calendula officinalis |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2’ |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Calendula is a long-blooming, frost-tolerant annual with bright ray flowers, perfect for winter containers in southern climates. Rich yellow, orange, pink, ivory, and bicolor blooms flourish in cool conditions. In warm southern zones, it shines in the cool temperatures of fall and spring and even over the winter for seasonal color.
Calendula leaves and pretty daisy-like flowers are edible. Use them as a fresh garnish or dried for teas and baking. Whole flowers also dry beautifully for enduring arrangements.
‘Pink Surprise’ is a lovely heirloom variety with double blooms in warm peachy pink. More heat tolerant, it boasts a long bloom season in mild climates.
Rosemary

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botanical name Salvia rosmarinus |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 3-6’ |
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hardiness zones 8-10 |
Rosemary provides a strong upright form or a trailing feature, depending on the variety. Texture and fragrance make it a favorite in ornamental containers and the kitchen. This Mediterranean native requires frost-free weather, making it a nice fit for southern winter containers. It is a multitasking evergreen in potted arrangements where hardy. The herb anchors the display while providing culinary and aromatic goodness.
In early summer, small blue blooms cover the stems, adding visual interest to needle-like evergreen foliage and attracting pollinators. Rosemary leaves and flowers have a lemony, cypress, camphor scent and flavor. Embellish winter containers with edible blooms like pansies, violas, and calendula.
A Mediterranean native, rosemary thrives in heat and well-draining soil. It’s a drought-tolerant, carefree perennial with multi-season appeal. Upright varieties like ‘Barbecue’ or ‘Arp’ add a stiff texture. Cascading forms like ‘Huntington Carpet’ trail and spill to soften planter edges.
Stock

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botanical name Matthiola incana |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 1-3’ |
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hardiness zones 6-10 |
Stock brings columnar blooms that brim with fragrance. The old-fashioned flowers line stiff, upright stems in red, purple, pink, cream, and copper, among others.
Stock makes a lovely fresh floral with a scent to savor. ‘Vintage Copper,’ in soft orange and rust, complements bold foliage and flowers in purple tones, like coral bells and pansies. Traditional pinks and purples are hallmarks of the sweet annuals. Pair them with dusty miller for contrast with silver-flocked and fuzzy leaves.
Stock thrives in cool temperatures. They don’t withstand hot summers and grow best as cool season annuals in warm regions.
Red-Veined Sorrel

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botanical name Rumex sanguineus |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 12-18” |
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hardiness zones 4-8 |
In southern climates, sorrel performs well in chilly winter containers and wilts in hot, humid summers. Red-veined sorrel has fresh green leaves deeply lined with scarlet venation. The perennial herbs are edible and ornamental for a blended display with blooms like violas and foxgloves.
Harvest young leaves continuously; they’re soft and fiercely tangy with a hint of sharp raspberry notes. Flavor mellows a bit when cooked. Older leaves are tough and more bitter.
Japanese Camellia

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botanical name Camellia japonica |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 6-13’ |
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hardiness zones 7-9 |
Camellias are showy evergreen shrubs that bloom in fall, winter, and early spring, depending on the species. They’re handsome in the landscape year-round and, as slow-growers, they make striking southern winter container compositions. Grow them in a large container or move them to the landscape as they develop.
Camellia sasanqua flowers throughout the fall and winter with vibrant colors against a backdrop of dark, glossy leaves. Camellia japonica blooms in late winter and early spring with large, ruffly flowers and bigger leaves. At this point in the season, many are showing color in the lower south. Install them now to enjoy the show.
From blush to scarlet to bicolored blooms, C. japonica is decadent in flower. ‘Nuccio’s Bella Rossa’ in deep red is named for California’s camellia-pioneering brothers at Nuccio Nurseries. It boasts a profusion of buds, even in young plants. ‘Debutante’ graces with large, pale pink, peony-like flowers. ‘La Peppermint’ has fully double petals in striations of deep pink and white.
Daffodils

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botanical name Narcissus spp. |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 8-30” |
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hardiness zones 4-8 |
Daffodils, with their crisp petals and ruffled cups on slender stems, herald the season’s arrival in cheery yellows and oranges and soft peaches and cream. With early, mid, and late-season varieties, it’s possible to have an extended show that begins as early as February. Plant these bulbs early in containers in cool southern areas to ensure there’s still enough chill time for blooming, or order them precooled (I’ve planted in zone 8 in January for blooms in late winter).
‘Tete-a-tete’ is an early-season daffodil with buttery yellow cups and multiple blooms per stem. It’s one of the first to flower with numerous buds. The Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit winner is a sturdy, floriferous dwarf variety.
Cluster daffodils shoulder to shoulder in the pot for a full planting. Underplant other winter growers in a container for a surprise come late season.
Boxwood

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botanical name Buxus spp. |
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sun requirements Full sun |
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height 1-15’ |
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hardiness zones 5-9 |
Boxwoods are structural evergreens, versatile year-round for anchoring any design They stand alone or provide a backdrop among seasonal foliage and flowers. Deep glossy leaves and dense branching take shaping well.
‘Green Mountain’ is a favorite container variety for its natural pyramidal shape and compact size. A vigorous hybrid, it has fresh green leaves that hold their color throughout winter. For a mounding boxwood, look to ‘Green Velvet.’
Boxwoods are always in style, but many suitable evergreens make good boxwood stand-ins if your site isn’t suitable or experiences blight. Let them anchor the look among perennials and change out the surrounding annuals by season.
Ornamental Cabbage and Kale

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botanical name Brassica oleracea var. acephala |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 10-24” |
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hardiness zones 2-11 |
Ornamental kale and cabbages are a must-have in southern winter containers for textural and visual interest. Rosette cabbage “heads” and feathery kale leaves brighten in green, creamy white, purple, and pink.
Look for the ‘Lucir’ and ‘Crane’ series for rosettes that leaf atop long, sturdy stems. The cabbage leaves resemble ornamental flowers and are showy in rich color combinations. Underplant with other garden annuals to soften the stems, creating a floating “floral” effect.
Redbor and dinosaur kales are cold hardy with textural leaves that crinkle and curl. In mild southern climates, kale can survive all winter.
Foxglove

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botanical name Digitalis purpurea |
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sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
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height 2-5’ |
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hardiness zones 4-9 |
Foxgloves are cold-hardy biennials that bloom in early spring in the South, but they establish over the winter in containers. Install nursery potted specimens this time of year so they’ll have time to develop for a booming show of flowers in late winter and early spring. They’ll hold as leafy filler until taking off as temperatures warm.
Foxgloves produce bell flowers shoulder to shoulder on tall, sturdy stems. From purple to rose to creamy white, pollinators find their blooms irresistible, especially as they appear early in the season before other springtime flowers. In spite of their beauty, they are poisonous, so avoid consuming them.
Foxgloves grow best in consistently moist, organically rich soils with good drainage. Pair them with Iceland poppies, sorrel, and dusty miller for a towering display with a leafy foundation.