ROOM TO BLOOM
The five flowers you must plant now so they ‘settle’ in time for spring to ensure a bright, colourful garden
GARDENING experts have revealed that 2025 is all about bright colours and "joyful" flower beds.
Instead of more naturalistic planting with neutral tones, people are opting for to vibrant, bolder gardens.
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And if you're looking to get in on the trend there are some flowers you will need to plant now so they can "settle" in time for spring.
Morris Hankinson, Director at has lifted the lid on his favourite colourful winter-flowering plants, and unveiled his top tips for embracing joyful gardening in 2025.
He says: “The past years have seen more naturalistic planting with lots of green and white which creates a peaceful, calming environment.
"It is often the pops of colour within those garden designs that catch gardeners' eyes though, so expect to see a move towards more vibrant, bolder gardens over the coming year to bring some joy and an uplifting vibe.”
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Indeed, bright and colourful gardens bring such joy and a feeling of energy with red, yellow, orange and purple to encourage positive feelings and fun in the garden.
Revealing, what gardeners should be planting now to achieve the "joyful gardening" look, Morris says it's about an abundance of spring bulbs.
He says: "Go big and bold with a mix of colours, layering in pots or planting as many as you can fit in your borders.
"In spring they will flower and bring so much joy after the winter.
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"Most spring flowering bulbs should be planted in October but if you have some, get them in the ground now anyway and they will either still flower this year or next."
And there's still time to get winter plants in the ground so they can bloom for spring.
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He adds: "Bare root plants should be planted from November through to April and these include perennial plants, hedging and trees.
"It’s a good way to save money as bare roots are cheaper but planting them out over winter means they will establish when dormant and then be settled in by the time warmer weather comes in spring."
In particular, you should plant perennials such as Achillea, Hardy Geranium, Nepeta, Salvia or Verbena.
Hedging plants such as Yew, Thuja, Box, Quickthorn and Hornbeam can all be bought as bare roots, as can many more.
And Acer trees, flowering Cherry, Magnolia and Dogwood will all provide exceptional colours at various times of the year.
But it’s not just flowers that can provide colour in a garden.
Think about garden furniture and accessory colours, the colour of hard landscaping such as fence panels, patios, pathways and even the walls.
He adds: "Think about colour all year from flowers to tree bark and evergreen hedging to water features, so at any time of the year you look out of the window onto the garden, there is colour and interest to bring joy.
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"Garden your own way, plant your favourite colours and enjoy experimenting. It’s all part of the fun!
"It’s a joy to share a garden with birds, bees, butterflies and all the other garden wildlife that creates a biodiverse ecosystem right outside the door."
The top colourful winter-flowering plants
Morris Hankinson, Director at Hopes Grove Nurseries, has rounded up his favourite colourful plants below:
- Witch Hazel has bright yellow, red or orange flowers and the scent is stunning in mid winter. It’s also medicinal and wildlife will enjoy it too.
- Camellias that flowers in winter will provide big red, white or pink flowers and evergreen foliage. The yellow centres are also bright and bold, altogether bringing plenty of colour to a winter garden.
- Cyclamen flowers are red, pink, white or even a mix of all colours and look great in pots and containers or at the front of beds and borders to bring winter colour.
- Hellebores flower in white, pink, red - there are so many! They are good for shady areas in the garden, so will brighten up even the darkest corners.
- Winter Jasmine has bright yellow flowers that stand out because they flower on the bare stems. This brings some sunny colour to a winter garden.
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