London Cottage Garden

Blogging about cottage garden style in a town garden

  • Subscribe to London Cottage Garden

    • Home
    • About
    • Spring gardening
    • Summer gardening
    • Autumn gardening
    • Winter gardening
    • Tips/Inspiration

    How to have colour in the winter cottage garden


    November 12th, 2020 - Winter gardening

    Share this post:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Email

    How can we have colour through the winter in the cottage garden style?

    I’ve been round the garden and taken pics of any colour I can find, other than green.

    winter colour in a garden pot

    Red clay pebbles used as a top dressing and a splash of colour

    As well as red pots, you can buy clay pebbles in various colours that look and feel like Maltesers,  to top dress the pots.  It’s mainly to aid watering and to stop the soil splashing away but I think it looks nicer than brown earth, especially when there’s nothing showing in the pot.

    Here is the bag of the red ones

    I use red for some and lovely pinky brown Hydroleca pebbles for others.

    Hydroleca

    They are the top dressing for my acer in its pot.

    clay pebbles as decorative top dressing

    Acers thrive in a pot and I love the Hydroleca pebbles on top

    Colour from plants

    This Epimedium in a shallow pot looks great all year round and then goes red right now.  They are fantastic plants.  Check them out from online nurseries.

    plants in winter cottage garden

    An Epimedium which has probably outgrown its pot but is struggling on heroically

    Even some plastic trugs lying about can add a contrast to the greens and browns in the front garden.

    trugs in the garden

    Trugs come in a rainbow of colours and of course are indispensable in the garden

    The edge of my little pond, below, is encircled by a collection of old terracotta pots – and they have such a lovely warm natural colour.  New ones would do just as well; the contrast of green with the rust colour is lovely all the year around but in the winter when there’s a lot of dying greenery they sing out against the plants and the dark water.  I got these from Jsgardens.co.uk   years ago and even when they break they look just fine.

    winter cottage garden colours

    The orange of the terracotta pots looks warm and contrasts so well with all greens

    You might think the colour of your watering can doesn’t matter much but why not have a lovely red one rather than green, black or grey.  It’s in the dark months that these little things add up to a colourful garden rather than a dull one.

    winter colour in a cottage garden

    A Haws watering can that is well balanced and easy to carry as well as colourful

     

    colour in the winter cottage garden

    Of course an acer is the star of an autumn garden while it holds its leaves

    I wrote about having permanent colour in the garden in the summer here using furniture and pots.

    It’s easy to have bursting colour in summer but even then in my garden there isn’t that much colour from plants.

    Below is that stalwart salvia “Amistad” which flowers from July/August through to Christmas if you’re lucky.  The purple shines out in the low light of autumn.  Cold places lift them indoors for the winter but here in London it’s safe to leave them out and hope for the best.

    colourful planting in autumn

    Nice cat’s bottom too

    You can see how dull the paving looks from October onwards, getting blacker and slimier through the winter.  I usually power wash it in late winter to start the year but till then it’s not much to lift the heart.  That’s why I need all these other little things to brighten up the garden.

    brick paving in a cottage garden

    The paving looks wonderful when I’ve cleaned it but dark and slippery when I haven’t

    So to sum up, in a small garden I get colour in the dark days from bits here and there; trugs, pots, decorative pebbles, watering can, and of course furniture.  It’s best to appreciate what we’ve got in the dark months and wait for the yellow crocus and early daffodils to appear in February.

    Thanks for taking a look at my blog this month and let’s hope 2021 brings us lots of gardening joy.

    If you like tips and ideas for the cottage garden style you might like to follow me by email.  My blogs, about one a month, will pop into your inbox.  Just put your email into the box at the top of the page.

     

    Share this post:

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Email

    19 comments on "How to have colour in the winter cottage garden"

    1. Sally churcher says:
      12th November 2020 at 3:45 pm

      What an inspiring article this is. Shows that you have a good imagination. Like the idea of top dressing the pots.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        13th November 2020 at 8:14 pm

        Thankyou so much Sally for your comment. Yes top dressing pots can be such a visual addition to the garden. The Hydroleca pebbles are probably the easiest and cheapest way to do it, having no weight they don’t make the pots heavier the way gravel does. All these colours are warm colours so that helps. Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

        Reply
    2. Rae says:
      12th November 2020 at 5:07 pm

      I particularly like the terracotta pots tumbling into your pond. Also a nice way to repurpose the half broken ones, I seem to have far more of these than I ever need for lining the bottom of pots.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        13th November 2020 at 8:13 pm

        Thanks Rae for your comment and yes, I can confirm that broken pots are just fine, even piece of pots are just fine. I drop broken pots into the tiny pond and they are so great for creatures to hide in. I only seem to have newts and a frog or two but no frogspawn at all this year. But yes, aren’t the pots in a sausage shape just great. Can’t recall how I got that idea but it’ll last forever and I imagine creatures hide in the gaps too.

        Reply
    3. Joan Johnston says:
      12th November 2020 at 5:40 pm

      The blue chair! You haven’t mentioned your blue chair! It’s a beaut and I’d love one, or two. Where can I get one dyou know? Thanks. (Great, timely article btw. Lifted my spirits. And as usual, no faffing about. Appreciated 😀)

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        13th November 2020 at 8:10 pm

        Oh Joan what a wonderful comment! I love that. No faffing about! That’ll be my mantra from now on. Well the blue chair is just a bistro chair, 2 chairs and a table from somewhere easy on the web. They have so many great colours once you look. thanks so much for your comment. It has lifted MY spirits!!

        Reply
    4. Barbara Lofgren says:
      12th November 2020 at 6:37 pm

      Lovely autumn colours.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        13th November 2020 at 8:08 pm

        Thankyou so much Barbara. I hope you have lovely colours too where you are.

        Reply
    5. Torrington Tina says:
      14th November 2020 at 7:11 am

      I enjoyed this article and it has given me a nudge to find some autumn colours for the area outside my back door and visible from the kitchen window.
      I top dress my pots with 10mm yellow chippings from the local builders merchant, shifting the 20kg bags in and out of the car give me a workout!
      I love your blue chair, just the thing to enjoy a sunny autumn day.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        14th November 2020 at 9:17 am

        Thanks so much for your comment Tina. Using yellow clippings sounds a much better idea than buying tiny bags of pebbles like I have. I will rethink that for next time. And yes, the blue chair is lovely isn’t it. Happy gardening. Julie

        Reply
    6. Brendan Byrne says:
      14th November 2020 at 10:46 am

      Great article giving us lots of ideas

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        15th November 2020 at 9:24 pm

        Thanks so much for that Brendan, it’s heartening to know I can share my ideas and people like them. Best wishes, Julie

        Reply
    7. Torrington Tina says:
      15th November 2020 at 8:54 am

      The building merchants’ chippings do double duty. I sieve them (more workout!) and use the fine chippings to mix in with my potting compost to aid drainage, and the larger ones to top dress my pots. The grit is also quite sharp-edged and helps deter slugs and snails, we have huge quantities of those down here in the damp South West!

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        15th November 2020 at 9:24 pm

        Good point Tina

        Reply
    8. Anne says:
      17th November 2020 at 1:04 am

      I have a small mostly shade garden. It never occurred to me that I could grow epimedium in pots for colour at this time of the year. I thought it was going to be just me, the ferns and the geranium nodosum! (And the acer I’m just about to plant up into a pot.) I’m going to look into the epimedium. Thanks so much for the inspiration. Happy gardening.

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        24th November 2020 at 8:01 am

        Hello Anne, how great to hear I have given you an idea. I will post some more pics of my epimediums as they really are the most wonderful plants for shade and are happy to be completely neglected. Have you thought of Japanese grasses in pots? My blog shows them and they are fabulous. I will find some more pics. I think a small garden is a wonderful thing – not too much work and lots of joy. Happy gardening to you too. Julie

        Reply
    9. jane says:
      22nd November 2020 at 4:57 pm

      Hello, I have just found your inspirational blog. I’m a lifelong keen gardener also keen on fantastic colours in the garden.
      I especially like your idea of the red clay pebbles and have been trying to find some for my red pots. There seems to be any amount of clay pebbles sold online but I can’t find, specifically, red ones. Any idea where I could look now, please?
      Thanks, jane

      Reply
      1. Julie Quinn says:
        24th November 2020 at 7:59 am

        Thankyou for your lovely message – welcome to my blog. I will pop out to the shed and get the bag and give you the name – just need to get dressed first. Julie

        Reply
      2. Julie Quinn says:
        24th November 2020 at 6:06 pm

        I’ll put a photo on Instagram Jane as I don’t know how to put a photo here.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    − 3 = 1

    London Cottage Garden
  • Subscribe to London Cottage Garden


  • Popular Posts

    Cottage garden alstroemerias for a vase

    Alstroemerias as cut flowers [caption id="attachment_3347" align="alignnone" width="600"] Pink and white in a Victorian cranberry vase[/caption] Do you buy cut flowers for the house or…


    Real flowers and artificial flowers – both fabulous

    I've recently discovered some online artificial flowers from Alex James that I think are beautiful and look wonderful either on their own or mixed with…


    How to introduce a new colour in a cottage garden

    A new colour in early Spring Here's a way to introduce a new colour in a cottage garden in early Spring. Plants can't always provide…


    How to use colour in the cottage garden style

    How to have colour in the cottage garden style town garden without it being too much work for one person to manage.  Well I would…


    Daffodils in a small garden – tips on how to grow them.

    If you have a small garden like a town garden and want to grow daffodils, here are my tips on how best to do it,…




    londoncottagegarden

    Fresh from @alstroemeriaben half a bunch in a vint Fresh from @alstroemeriaben half a bunch in a vintage vase #alstroemeria #britishflowers #cottagegardenflowers #londoncottagegarden
    Mr Feral Cat doing his bit for Nature. Dispersing Mr Feral Cat doing his bit for Nature.  Dispersing seeds. #feralcat #mrgreycat #seeds
    New blog about alstroemerias see link in bio @alst New blog about alstroemerias see link in bio @alstroemeriaben #cottagegardenflowers #cottagegarden #londoncottagegarden #flowersinavase #vintagevase #britishflowersweek
    @alstroemeriaben flowers mail order and now in a v @alstroemeriaben flowers mail order and now in a vintage vase (1930s?) #alstroemeria #britishflowersweek #alstroemeriaben
    @alstroemeriaben delivery from arrival to the vint @alstroemeriaben delivery from arrival to the vintage vase  delivered all year round #alstroemeria #britishflowerweek #londoncottagegarden #vintagevases
    Gorgeous fresh flowers from @alstroemeriaben in @b Gorgeous fresh flowers from @alstroemeriaben in @britishflowersweek
    Just one stem from @alstroemeriaben - from a deliv Just one stem from @alstroemeriaben - from a delivery of 40 beautiful #alstroemerias by post
    Erythrosora fern really is this colour. In a pot i Erythrosora fern really is this colour. In a pot it looks fab for 10 months of the year.  #londoncottagegarden #japanesefern #ferns #containergardening
    Fabulous delivery today from @alstroemeriaben of 4 Fabulous delivery today from @alstroemeriaben of 4 big bunches of alstroemerias.  Here are just 4 stems. #alstroemeriaben  #cottagegardenflowers #alstroemerias  #londoncottagegarden
    Nearly snapped but supported, bees can still go in Nearly snapped but supported, bees can still go in and out. #foxgloves #londoncottagegarden
    Does her bum look big in this pic? Yes it does. # Does her bum look big in this pic? Yes it does.  #tortiecat #tortiegirl
    Perennial Strawberry foxgloves are taller than me. Perennial Strawberry foxgloves are taller than me.  Apricot/pink/cream coloured. Bee magnets.  #londoncottagegarden #foxgloves #cottagegardenplants
    Splitting a hardy geranium from pic 1 to 2. So ea Splitting a hardy geranium from pic 1 to 2.  So easy.  Now is the time to do it #londoncottagegarden #hardygeraniums #cottagegarden
    Little posy from the garden picked for a friend. I Little posy from the garden picked for a friend. It may not last long but it’s lovely anyway. #londoncottagegarden #springflowers
    Good morning beautiful lady #foxes #londoncottageg Good morning beautiful lady #foxes #londoncottagegarden
    Tottering-by-gently, my first rose to come out. Ju Tottering-by-gently, my first rose to come out. Just how I feel today. #londoncottagegarden #davidaustinroses
    A new blog about the beautiful garden at Dedham Ha A new blog about the beautiful garden at Dedham Hall Hotel - see link in bio #londoncottagegarden #cottaegarden #hotel
    Mariette tulip after the rain - still looking love Mariette tulip after the rain - still looking lovely #londoncottagegarden #tulips #springbulbs
    Some tulips fall open and others curl up in the ra Some tulips fall open and others curl up in the rain. Unknown pale tulip and lily flowered Mariette.
    Up for World Dawn Chorus day. Coat on. Pot of tea. Up for World Dawn Chorus day. Coat on. Pot of tea.  Just wonderful. #dawnchorus #londoncottagegarden #citygarden #birdsong
    Load More… Follow on Instagram

    UK Gardening Blogs

    © 2022 London Cottage Garden - The London Cottage Garden Blog

    Website Design www.beamtwenty3.co.uk

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.