Best Winter Plants Ireland: Frost-Hardy Garden Picks

The best winter plants for Irish gardens are tough evergreens for structure (ivy, Japanese holly, box and clumping bamboo), plants that bring flowers or buds to the dark months (skimmia, Christmas roses and Lenten roses), coloured foliage for pots (heuchera, sedges, euonymus and vinca) and berrying shrubs (gaultheria and pyracantha). All of them cope with a normal Irish winter of rain, wind and short frosts, and because they come in pots you can plant them whenever the soil is workable.

Shop by job: winter colour plants for skimmia and hellebores, plants for winter pots for fillers, trailers and topiary, and Christmas rose hellebores for white flowers in the depths of winter.

Winter plants at a glance

What winter-hardy means in an Irish garden

Most of Ireland sees only short spells below freezing, so wet roots and wind are usually a bigger threat than cold. As a guide, plants with an RHS hardiness rating of H4 (to about −10°C) or higher come through a normal winter in most Irish gardens; choose H5 or above for inland frost pockets and exposed upland sites. Drainage matters as much as hardiness: work grit or garden compost into heavy clay and raise pots on feet.

Evergreen structure: the plants that hold the garden together

When the borders die back, evergreens are what you see from the window, so put these in first.

Ivy: Irish ivy, 'Glacier' and 'Goldheart'

Hedera hibernica, the Irish or Atlantic ivy, is native here and has large dark green leaves. It covers fences and makes dense ground cover under trees where little else grows. Hedera helix 'Glacier' has smaller grey-green leaves edged in cream and is one of the best plants for trailing over the edge of a winter pot or window box. Hedera helix 'Goldheart' has small dark green leaves with a gold centre and lights up a shady wall.

On sound brick or stone ivy is generally fine, but keep it off crumbling mortar and out of gutters. Mature ivy flowers in autumn, a late source of nectar for insects, and its black berries feed birds in late winter.

Japanese holly and blight-resistant box

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) has small glossy leaves and clips into neat balls and cones, much like box. It is not affected by box blight, so it is a popular box alternative. Choose an Ilex crenata pyramid (55cm, 21cm pot) or a pair of 'Jenny' balls (25cm across). It prefers moist, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly acidic.

For real box, BetterBuxus 'Skylight' has been bred for resistance to box blight. It comes as a pair of 60–70cm pyramids or as box balls. Resistance is not immunity, so water at the base rather than over the leaves and clip in dry weather.

Fargesia: a bamboo that stays put

Fargesia rufa is a clump-forming bamboo, so it does not send out running roots the way some bamboos do. It keeps its leaves all winter, grows to about 1.5–2m, and makes an informal screen in the ground or in a large, heavy pot. Bamboo in pots dries out quickly: if the leaves roll up, it needs water, even in winter.

6 × Hedera hibernica, 9cm pots

• Irish (Atlantic) ivy with large dark green leaves
• Evergreen ground cover under trees and on fences
• Self-clinging; sun or shade

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1 × Fargesia rufa clumping bamboo, 80cm, 29cm pot

• Clump-forming, so it does not spread by runners
• Evergreen screen, about 1.5–2m when mature
• Good in a large pot; keep it watered

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Winter flowers and buds

Skimmia 'Rubella' and 'Finchy'

Skimmia 'Rubella' and 'Finchy' hold tight clusters of red buds from autumn right through winter, and these open into scented white flowers in spring. Both are male plants, so they never carry berries; for berries, see gaultheria and pyracantha below. Skimmias like partial to full shade and neutral to acidic soil, so use ericaceous compost in pots. Their leaves can turn yellow in full sun or chalky soil.

Christmas rose 'Christmas Carol'

The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) has open, pure white flowers held just above dark evergreen leaves. 'Christmas Carol' is an early selection that often shows buds or first flowers around Christmas in a mild Irish winter; the main display is January to March, and young plants may not flower until their second winter. Plant it in partial shade, in moist, well-drained soil that is neutral to alkaline, with the crown level with the soil surface. In pots, use a loam-based compost. See the full range of Christmas rose hellebores.

Lenten roses: Helleborus orientalis 'Double Ellen'

Lenten roses take over from Christmas roses, flowering from late winter into spring. The 'Double Ellen' series has double flowers in pink, red or white, and also comes as a mixed pack. They are long-lived plants for partial shade and feed bees on mild days. Cut off last year's leaves in midwinter, as the flower buds appear, so the flowers show and leaf spot has less to spread from.

2 × Skimmia japonica 'Rubella', 15cm pots, 30cm

• Deep red buds from autumn right through winter
• Scented white flowers in spring; male, so no berries
• Partial shade; ericaceous compost in pots

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6 × Christmas rose 'Christmas Carol', 10.5cm pots, 25cm

• White flowers above dark evergreen leaves
• Partial shade; neutral to alkaline soil
• Plant with the crown level with the soil

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3 × Lenten rose 'Double Ellen' mix, 14cm pots, 35cm

• Double flowers in pink, red and white
• Flowers from late winter into spring
• Early nectar for bees on mild days

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Foliage colour for winter pots

In a December pot, leaf colour does most of the work. These small evergreen or near-evergreen plants come in 6-packs of 9cm pots.

• Heuchera 'Palace Purple': rounded, bronze-purple leaves that hold through most winters, with sprays of small white flowers in summer. Heucheras rot if they sit wet, so give them free-draining compost.
• Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' and Carex 'Evergold': evergreen sedges. 'Ice Dance' has dark green leaves edged in white, and 'Evergold' has arching leaves striped creamy yellow. Comb out dead leaves in late winter.
• Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety': small, bushy and very tough, with white-edged leaves that can take on a pink tinge in cold weather. Sun or shade.
• Vinca minor 'Argenteovariegata': a trailing periwinkle with cream-edged leaves and violet-blue flowers in spring. Let it spill over the rim of a pot.
• Luzula nivea (snowy woodrush): soft evergreen tufts with white flower heads in early summer, good in shade.

A simple recipe for a 40cm pot: one skimmia or Christmas rose in the centre, three heucheras or sedges around it, and two or three ivy 'Glacier' or vinca plants tipped over the edge. Use ericaceous compost when skimmia is the centrepiece and a loam-based compost for a Christmas rose. Our Christmas planters guide has more recipes, with plant counts for different pot sizes.

6 × Heuchera 'Palace Purple', 9cm pots

• Bronze-purple leaves through most winters
• Sprays of small white flowers in summer
• Needs free-draining compost

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6 × Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance', 9cm pots

• Evergreen sedge with white-edged leaves
• Sun or shade; spreads into low cover
• Comb out dead leaves in late winter

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Winter berries

Gaultheria procumbens 'Big Berry'

Gaultheria 'Big Berry' is a low, creeping evergreen with glossy leaves that bronze in the cold and large red berries from autumn, often lasting into spring. Gaultheria needs acidic conditions: plant it in ericaceous (lime-free) compost and keep it moist, because the roots dislike drying out, even in winter. It suits partial shade and sits well beside skimmia, which likes the same compost.

Pyracantha 'Orange Glow'

Firethorn is a hardy evergreen shrub with white flowers in late spring and masses of orange berries through autumn and winter, which birds eat. Grow it as a free-standing shrub, train it flat against a wall or fence, or plant a row as a dense, thorny hedge. Wear gloves, as the thorns are sharp. When you trim a wall-trained plant after flowering, leave plenty of the flower clusters, because these become next winter's berries. It comes in packs of three or four 65cm plants.

6 × Gaultheria procumbens 'Big Berry', 12cm pots

• Large red berries from autumn, often into spring
• Glossy leaves that bronze in cold weather
• Needs ericaceous (lime-free) compost

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3 × Pyracantha 'Orange Glow', 15cm pots, 65cm

• Orange berries through autumn and winter
• Evergreen wall shrub or hedge; birds eat the berries
• Thorny: wear gloves when pruning

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Climbers for winter walls

For a wall or fence that looks the same in January as in July, ivy is the answer: it is the only fully evergreen self-clinging climber in this guide. Hedera helix 'Goldheart' brightens a north- or east-facing wall, and plain green Hedera helix gives an even, dark green cover. Both come as packs of four 65cm plants.

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) is often recommended for shady walls, but it is deciduous and drops its leaves in autumn. Its winter interest is the woody framework and peeling, cinnamon-brown bark, and in early summer it carries flat white lacecap flowers, even on a north-facing wall. It is self-clinging but slow for its first couple of years. If you need winter cover from day one, choose ivy instead.

4 × Hedera helix 'Goldheart', 15cm pots, 65cm

• Small dark green leaves with gold centres
• Self-clinging evergreen for walls and fences
• Brightens north- and east-facing walls

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How to plant in winter in Ireland

Container-grown plants can go in at any time of year. Plant when the soil is workable, not frozen or waterlogged. Avoid planting when the ground is frozen or temperatures stay below −3°C. If a handful of soil squeezes into a sticky ball, or water lies in your footprints, wait a few days.

1. Dig a wide hole. Water the plants in their pots first, then make the hole about twice the width of the root ball and the same depth, and loosen the soil at the sides. On heavy clay, mix in some garden compost.
2. Plant at the same depth. Set the plant at the level it grew in the pot (crown level for hellebores), tease out any circling roots, and firm the soil gently.
3. Water in and mulch. Water even in winter to settle the soil, then spread 5–7cm of bark or garden compost over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
4. Check after storms and hard frost. Firm in any plants that have lifted, and stake young shrubs in exposed coastal gardens.

For pots, raise them on pot feet so water can drain, group them against a house wall for shelter, and check the compost in dry spells, as pots under eaves miss most of the rain. Do not feed until growth starts in spring. If your plants arrive during a hard frost, keep them in their pots in a sheltered, unheated spot such as a porch for a few days, keep the compost just moist, and plant once the ground thaws.

Frequently asked questions

More winter guides: Christmas planters for Irish doorsteps • Autumn planting in Ireland, month by month • What to plant in November • Living Christmas trees

Working on a larger planting project? Visit our landscaping hub for bulk packs, trade pricing and free quotes.

Winter and Christmas guides

• Christmas plants: evergreen gifts and festive plants
• Christmas plant care checklist for December
• Christmas planters and winter bloomers for doorsteps
• Living Christmas trees: indoor care, planting out and is it greener?
• Winter houseplant care from November to February
• What to plant in November

Shop the season: Christmas and winter plants, skimmia, Christmas topiary, winter interest plants and frost-resistant plants.