12 Winter Container Garden Ideas for UK Doorsteps and Patios

Winter does not have to mean bare pots. With the right plants, a few containers can keep your doorstep, patio or kitchen step looking alive from November right through to March, and they are quick to put together on a dry afternoon.

Here are 12 winter container garden ideas for UK gardens, each with the plants to use and a tip to help them last.

1. A Glazed Blue Pot of Heuchera, Cyclamen and Ivy

A Glazed Blue Pot of Heuchera, Cyclamen and Ivy – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A big glazed pot in a strong colour is an instant focal point on a winter doorstep. Dark-leaved heuchera, pink hardy cyclamen, trailing ivy and a little winter heather give colour, texture and a soft cascading edge.

Choose a pot at least 40cm wide so the roots have room and the compost does not freeze solid. Add crocks and a gritty compost mix for good drainage, and lift the pot onto feet so water never sits underneath.

2. A Pair of Terracotta Pots with Skimmia

A Pair of Terracotta Pots with Skimmia – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

Two tall terracotta pots of skimmia with ivy and trailing vinca flank a path beautifully, and the red-budded skimmia looks festive well into spring. Pairs give a formal, welcoming feel that suits both modern and period homes.

Use frost-proof terracotta, or wrap pots in hessian in very cold spells. Skimmia likes a bit of shade and ericaceous compost, so keep the pots out of the strongest sun and water if the weather turns dry.

3. Grasses, Pansies and Silver Foliage in a Galvanised Tub

Grasses, Pansies and Silver Foliage in a Galvanised Tub – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A galvanised tub filled with tufty ornamental grasses, white winter pansies and silvery foliage looks fresh and frosty, and the pale colours show up well on short winter days.

Drill drainage holes in the bottom of the tub and plant the grass in the centre, with pansies around the edge. Deadhead the pansies weekly to keep them flowering through the coldest months.

4. A Stone Trough of Snowdrops and Miniature Daffodils

A Stone Trough of Snowdrops and Miniature Daffodils – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A mossy stone trough planted with snowdrops and miniature narcissi is a charming sight on a garden table in late winter. It brings the first flowers of the year right to eye level.

Plant bulbs “in the green” in autumn or late winter, in a gritty compost, and cover the surface with a layer of moss for a natural finish. Keep the trough where you can see it from the window.

5. Red Dogwood, Ferns and Ivy by the Back Door

Red Dogwood, Ferns and Ivy by the Back Door – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

Tall red dogwood stems rising from a cluster of evergreen ferns and ivy give height and strong colour in a dark planter beside the back door. It looks fantastic against green or grey paint.

Plant the dogwood (Cornus alba or Cornus sanguinea) in the centre and the ferns and ivy around it. Stems are brightest on new growth, so cut them back hard each spring to get the best colour next winter.

6. A Half Barrel with a Dwarf Conifer and Hellebores

A Half Barrel with a Dwarf Conifer and Hellebores – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A half barrel combining a dwarf conifer, hellebores and a few stems of winter jasmine is a complete winter garden in one container. The evergreen structure sits behind a spray of delicate nodding flowers.

Use a large container so the hellebores can establish over several years, and choose a slow-growing conifer such as Picea glauca Conica. Hellebores prefer light shade and a rich, well-drained compost.

7. A Winter Hanging Basket of Cyclamen and Heather

A Winter Hanging Basket of Cyclamen and Heather – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A wire hanging basket filled with cyclamen, heather and trailing ivy is a bright way to use vertical space and keep colour at eye level when borders are bare.

Line the basket with moss and plant it tightly with hardy plants. Hang it in a sheltered spot out of the worst winds, and water only when the compost feels dry as winter baskets rarely need much.

8. A Wooden Crate of Winter Veg and Herbs

A Wooden Crate of Winter Veg and Herbs – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A rustic crate of kale, rosemary, thyme and winter herbs by the kitchen door is both pretty and practical, and you can pick from it all season long.

Line the crate with a perforated liner and fill with multi-purpose compost mixed with grit. Choose cut-and-come-again kale and hardy herbs, and keep the crate near the door so you actually use it.

9. A Japanese Maple Underplanted with Violas

A Japanese Maple Underplanted with Violas – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

The bare, sculptural stems of a Japanese maple look surprisingly beautiful in winter, and a carpet of cheerful violas at its feet adds colour. It is a stylish look for a modern terrace.

Plant the maple in a large pot with a loam-based compost, which is heavier and holds moisture better than multi-purpose. Position it out of strong winds and water through dry spells even in winter.

10. A Trio of Pots with Box Balls and Cyclamen

A Trio of Pots with Box Balls and Cyclamen – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

Three pots of different heights, one with a clipped box ball and others with cyclamen and winter pansies, look instantly designed. Grouping containers makes them look more generous than a single pot would.

Choose pots in the same colour family but different sizes, and set them at slightly different distances from the wall. Use a thin layer of grit on top of the compost to finish and keep the plants dry at the neck.

11. A Wall Trough with Ornamental Cabbages and Heather

A Wall Trough with Ornamental Cabbages and Heather – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A long trough fixed to a brick wall and packed with ornamental cabbages, heather and ivy brings colour at eye level to an otherwise plain wall, with rich purples that glow in winter light.

Make sure the trough is fixed securely to the wall and has drainage holes. Plant cabbages in a tight row at the back and tuck the heather and ivy in front to hide the edge.

12. A Frosted Trough with Evergreens and a Bird Table

A Frosted Trough with Evergreens and a Bird Table – winter container garden idea for UK gardens

A weathered trough of evergreens beneath a bird table is a lovely frosty scene at dawn, and it gives garden birds somewhere to shelter and feed throughout winter.

Choose compact evergreens such as dwarf box, sarcococca and ivy for the trough, and keep the bird table topped up with seed and fresh water. Place both where you can watch from the kitchen window.

Keep Your Pots Looking Good All Winter

The secret to good winter containers is good drainage, a big enough pot and hardy plants. Group several together near the door and they will lift your mood on grey days.

Which winter container will you plant first?

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