February is usually mixed weather-wise and often delights with a wonderfully unexpected sunny week before returning to winter weather conditions! Whatever it brings there are always plants that look good at this time of the year. Here are ten of the best to lift the spirits.
1. Narcissus ‘February Gold’ (Daffodil)
Nothing shouts ‘spring is almost here’ more than the sight of daffodils on a cold, winter’s morning. And February Gold is just what the garden doctor ordered! Plant in bold drifts to fully appreciate and be cheered by its bright yellow flowers. Enjoy how the outer petals sweep back slightly to emphasise the darker yellow trumpets in the middle. Bulbs should be planted at twice their depth during the autumn months. And, as with all bulbs, allow the leaves to turn yellow and fully die down before removing them.
- Flowers from February to March
- Hardy
- Grows to 30cm tall and 10cm wide
- Fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Full sun to part shade
- Exposed
2. Edgworthia chrysantha (Paper Bush)
An unusual-looking deciduous shrub that produces highly scented, brightly coloured, yellow flowers in late winter. Like most winter-scented plants, the flowers appear before the leaves. Closely related to daphnes, the scent is an utter delight at this time of year, wafting on the air. Plus, they are a great addition to the winter garden for humans as well as pollinating insects. It’s generally pest and disease-free if given a sheltered spot and soil that stays reliably moist but not waterlogged.
- Flowers from February to April
- Hardy
- Grows to 150cm tall and 150cm wide
- Fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Full sun or light shade
- Sheltered
3. Helleborus x hybridus double forms ‘Double Ellen Picotee’ (Lenten Rose)
There is a huge variety of hybridised double-flower hellebores available, a great example being Double Ellen Picotee. It has exquisite, ruffled and pleated leaf flowers in glorious shades of deep and light pink. Ideally, choose one that’s in flower to ensure you get your favourite colour choice. Removing scrappy-looking leaves at this time of year will enable you to fully appreciate the beauty of the flowers.
- Flowers from February to April
- Hardy
- Grows to 60cm tall and 60cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained but moist soil
- Full or part shade
- Sheltered
4. Iris reticulata ‘Rejoice’ (Iris)
Reticulata is one of the earliest Iris to flower in the new year. They provide needed bursts of colour from as early as January. ‘Rejoice’ is a new introduction with scented, handsome, dark purple flowers etched with white and yellow. It grows best when planted in a sunny, well-drained border. Also, they grow well in containers to either bring into the house or on a sunny windowsill. Allow the leaves to fully die back and turn yellow before removing. These provide the basis for energy to go back into the bulb for next year’s flowers.
- Flowers from February to April
- Hardy
- Grows to 15cm tall and 10cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
5. Crocus tommasinianus ‘Whitehall Purple’ (Crocus)
This easy-to-grow, reliably repeat flowering, late winter flowering corm is best planted en masse for maximum impact. ‘Whitewell Purple’s flowers are on stronger stems than most other crocus, so an ideal choice for flower borders and naturalising in grass. The nectar and pollen-rich flowers make it useful for pollinating insects looking for food early in the year.
- Flowers from February to March
- Hardy
- Grows to 10cm tall and 05cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
6. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Strawberries and Cream’ (Witch Hazel)
Witch hazel are ideal large shrubs/small trees to plant in the garden for this time of year. Renowned for their scented, delicate-looking yellow flowers, there are exceptions such as this aptly named stunner with its pink-cream flowers. It requires little or no pruning other than to perhaps remove any crossing or diseased branches in spring after flowering.
- Flowers from February to March
- Hardy
- Grows to 350cm tall and 350cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained, light, acidic to neutral soil
- Full and dappled sun and part shade
- Sheltered
7. Salix gracistyla ‘Mount Aso’ (Japanese Willow)
Mainly grown for its bright pink catkins produced late winter and early spring, this willow is attractive in flower arrangements. Prune back hard every 3-4 years to keep it looking neat. This will also encourage it to produce more catkins the following year. The pruned stems can create new plants by simply pushing them into the ground! For best results use stems a pencil-width thickness cut to lengths of approximately 30cm, with two-thirds of the stem underground.
- Flowers from February to March
- Hardy
- Grows to 300cm tall and 300cm wide
- Fertile, moisture-retentive soil
- Full sun part shade
- Sheltered
This is a wonderful, small, slow-growing, deciduous tree for winter interest which flowers for months on end. It produces soft pink, semi-double flowers from late autumn all the way through the winter until early spring! Its branches are spreading and widely spaced giving a light, airy feel to the smallest of spaces. And, in the autumn, the leaves turn warm colours of yellow, orange and red.
- Flowers from November to March
- Fully hardy
- Grows to 400cm tall and 400cm wide
- Well-drained, moisture-retentive soil
- Full sun or part shade
- Exposed
9. Drimys lanceolata ‘Red Spice’ (Tasmannia lanceolata ‘Red Spice’)
It’s good to incorporate shrubs into the garden that provide year-round interest and Drimys is a great example. As a bonus, it is particularly happy growing in coastal areas. This shrub has handsome claret-red stems with dark green leaves and a spicy-scented bark. In spring, it produces delightful clusters of small, scented, white flowers followed by black berries ripening in early autumn. All in all, this is a perfect plant for year-round interest with a variety of uses. Whether that be in a general border, as a specimen plant, or an informal hedge.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 300cm tall and 250cm wide
- Fertile, moist but well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
10. Daphne mezereum (February Daphne)
Another beautifully scented winter flowering plant to delight the senses. The flowers can vary in colour from quite dark violet to pink and lilac. Although daphnes usually grow best in dappled shade, this variety grows well in full sun if its roots stay moist. The flowers appear before the leaves and fade as the plant begins to leaf out. One to plant near a path or doorway so that the beautiful flowers and scent can be best appreciated.
- Flowers from February to March
- Hardy
- Grows to 150cm tall and 150cm wide
- Well-drained, light, sandy soil
- Dappled shade to full sun
- Sheltered
Make sure your February garden is looking bright and colourful before we welcome spring next month.
Find out the best seeds to sow this month:
Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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