Winter has a special beauty of its own, especially when your garden is filled with plants that shine during the coldest months. While many landscapes go dormant, certain shrubs, flowering plants, and ornamental grasses continue to offer color, texture, structure, and seasonal charm. If you want your outdoor space to feel alive and festive during Christmas and the winter season, adding the right winter-hardy plants can completely transform your garden.
At Pixies Gardens, we offer a wide range of shrubs, evergreens, and ornamental plants perfect for creating a holiday-ready landscape. In this guide, we’ll explore the best outdoor plants that bring holiday cheer, featuring varieties you can buy directly from your Pixies Gardens collection
🌺 1. Red-Twig Dogwood – The Bold Winter Showstopper
Few plants create as much drama in a winter garden as the Red-Twig Dogwood. When the leaves fall, the bright red stems take the spotlight, adding a burst of festive color that pairs perfectly with Christmas décor. Whether planted in the ground or added to winter porch pots, a red-twig dogwood brings instant holiday magic.
✔ Why It Feels Like Christmas
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Vivid red stems contrast beautifully with the snow
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Perfect for winter arrangements
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Add strong structure to empty garden beds
Red-twig Dogwood is especially popular in cold climates because its color intensifies in winter, making it one of the best shrubs for December landscapes
🌲 2. Evergreen Shrubs (Boxwood, Cypress & Juniper)
Nothing symbolizes winter cheer more than lush green evergreens. These shrubs stay vibrant through freezing temperatures and provide the perfect backdrop for holiday lights, wreaths, and porch displays.
✔ Evergreen Shrubs Available at Pixies Gardens:
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Boxwood – ideal for borders, entryways, and foundation plantings
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Cypress – soft texture, elegant shape
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Juniper – blue-green foliage that stands out in winter
✔ Why Evergreens Bring Holiday Cheer
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Stay green all year
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Easy to shape into symmetrical forms
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Works beautifully with string lights
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Add structure when other plants go dormant
Evergreens instantly give your garden that classic Christmas feel - fresh, timeless, and full of life
🌸 3. Camellia (Winter-Blooming Varieties)
Imagine walking outside in December and seeing beautiful flowers. That’s exactly what winter-blooming camellias offer. Their elegant flowers in shades of white, pink, or red open just in time for the holidays.
✔ Why is Camellia perfect for winter?
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Blooms in late fall and early winter
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Stunning evergreen foliage
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Adds elegance to porches and walkways
Camellia pairs wonderfully with evergreens and red berries to create a balanced holiday landscape.
🍃 4. Ornamental grass – Winter Texture & Movement
While many people think of grasses as summer plants, ornamental grasses offer spectacular winter interest. Their plumes and airy foliage create soft movement, and frost-coated grass blades look magical on cold mornings.
✔ Top grass at Pixies Gardens
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Feather Reed Grass
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Fountain Grass
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Dwarf varieties for small spaces
✔ Why Grasses Work in Holiday Gardens?
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Add height and texture
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Look beautiful in winter containers
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Combine well with evergreens and dogwood
Ornamental grasses bring a natural, wintery feeling to your landscape—perfect for December styling
💜 5. Loropetalum – The Evergreen With Rich Color
If you want something beyond traditional green, Loropetalum is a must-have. Its deep purple foliage looks dramatic in winter landscapes and adds a luxurious festive touch.
✔ What Makes Loropetalum Special?
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Evergreen purple foliage
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Works well in borders and mass plantings
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Great for mild winter climates
Loropetalum’s color stays strong through winter, giving your garden a vibrant, unexpected twist.
🍇 6. Viburnum – Berries, Blooms & Winter Structure
Viburnum shrubs bring multi-season beauty. Many varieties develop colorful berries, beautiful foliage, and a strong structure that holds up well in winter.
✔ Why Viburnum is a Great Holiday Plant
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Berries attract birds in winter
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Evergreen varieties add fullness
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Works beautifully in mixed borders
It’s one of the most versatile winter shrubs you can add to your outdoor Christmas garden
🌼 7. Spirea – Dainty, Colorful, and Winter-Friendly
While Spirea is best known for its spring and summer blooms, the shrub’s winter structure and golden or bronze foliage varieties bring subtle color to cold-season landscapes.
✔ Why Spirea works in winter?
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Compact size fits in small gardens
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Dried seed heads look beautiful in frost
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Easy to pair with grass and evergreens
Golden Spirea varieties even carry warm tones that complement holiday décor
🌸 8. Hydrangea – Winter Interest You Didn’t Expect
Hydrangeas may be summer favorite, but their dried blooms and strong stems offer beautiful winter interest. The dried flower heads catch frost and snow beautifully, creating a soft, romantic winter look.
✔ Why Hydrangea Deserves a Place in Your Winter Garden
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Dried blooms add charm
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Strong stems offer structure
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Great for winter photography
When paired with evergreens and red-twig dogwoods, hydrangeas soften the bold colors of winter shrubs
🌿 9. Holly (Ilex Varieties)
Holly is one of the most iconic Christmas plants - with evergreen leaves and bright red berries that instantly create a holiday mood.
✔ Why Holly Is a Must for Christmas
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Glossy evergreen foliage
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Bright red berries
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Perfect for porches, wreaths, and entryways
Holly shrubs are a staple for winter landscapes and look beautiful in mixed plantings with evergreens and dogwood
🌼 10. Gardenia (Evergreen Beauty All Winter)
Gardenias are well-loved for their fragrance, but many people forget they are evergreens as well, holding their glossy green leaves throughout the winter.
✔ Why Gardenia Works for Holiday Cheer
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Evergreen foliage adds a richness
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Works in sheltered entryways
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Pairs well with magnolias and camellia
In warmer climates, gardenias stay stunning all winter and enhance porch displays beautifully
🌳 11. Magnolia – Classic Southern Elegance in Winter
Magnolia trees and shrubs bring evergreen beauty and iconic glossy leaves that look stunning in holiday décor.
✔ Why is Magnolia Great for Winter
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Evergreen foliage
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Large, architectural leaves
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Perfect for winter garlands and arrangements
Magnolia leaves are commonly used in Christmas wreaths for their unique texture and shine
🌺 12. Rose of Sharon – Winter Silhouette & Seed Pods
Rose of Sharon is known for summer blooms, but its winter silhouette and dried seed pods offer subtle beauty in winter gardens.
✔ Why It Adds Value to Winter Landscapes
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Strong upright structure
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Interesting seed heads
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Beautiful when backlit by the winter sun
Paired with grasses and evergreens, it adds depth and dimension to a winter scene.
🎄 How to Style These Plants for Winter & Christmas Décor
✔ Using Evergreen for Structure
Boxwood and Juniper make perfect walkway borders and entryways.
✔ Add Pops of Red
Use Red-Twig Dogwood and Holly berries to bring holiday color.
✔ Create winter porch pots
Combine:
Evergreen + Grass + Dogwood Stems + Pine Cones
✔ Illuminate your Winter Garden
Wrap dwarf conifers or cypress shrubs in warm string lights for a magical Christmas glow.
❄️ Winter Care Tips for Holiday Plants
✔ Mulch around the base
Helps insulate roots.
✔ Water evergreens during dry spells
Prevents winter burns.
✔ Keep container plants off cold concrete
Protect the roots from freezing.
✔ Know your USDA zone
Choose plants suited to your climate.
⭐ Final Thoughts
A winter garden can be full of holiday charm when you choose the right plants. Whether it’s the bold red stems of Dogwood, the evergreen beauty of Boxwood, the winter blooms of Camellia, or the colorful foliage of Loropetalum, Pixies Gardens offers everything you need to create a festive outdoor oasis
❄️ FAQ
1. Which outdoor plants give the most color during the holiday season?
Red-Twig Dogwood, Holly, Loropetalum, Camellia, and evergreen shrubs like Boxwood and Juniper bring the most vibrant winter color. Red stems, bright berries, purple foliage, and glossy evergreen leaves make these plants perfect for holiday landscapes.
2. What plants stay green and fresh outside during winter?
Boxwood, Cypress, Juniper, Gardenia, Magnolia, and some Viburnum varieties remain green all winter. These evergreens add structure and keep your garden looking alive when everything else is dormant.
3. Can Hydrangea add beauty in winter even without flowers?
Yes! Hydrangeas offer amazing winter interest through their dried blooms and strong stems. Frost-covered hydrangea heads look beautiful and add a soft, romantic touch to winter gardens.
4. Are ornamental grasses good for winter landscapes?
Absolutely. Many ornamental grasses keep their plumes throughout winter. They add movement, height, texture, and look stunning when topped with frost or snow.
5. Do Camellias really bloom during winter?
Yes - many Camellia varieties bloom from late fall through winter, producing elegant flowers during the holiday season. They are one of the few shrubs that naturally bloom in cold months.
6. Which shrubs look best in winter porch pots or planters?
Dwarf evergreens, Red-Twig Dogwood stems, Loropetalum, ornamental grasses, and Holly branches make beautiful winter porch displays. Add pinecones or lights for extra holiday charm.
7. How do I protect my winter outdoor plants from freezing?
Add mulch around the base, water evergreens during dry periods, move containers off concrete, and choose plants suited to your USDA growing zone. These simple steps will help prevent winter damage.
8. Can Rose of Sharon be part of a winter garden?
Yes. While it doesn’t bloom in winter, its strong branching structure and dried seed pods create lovely visual interest and pair nicely with evergreens and ornamental grasses.
With thoughtful planting and creative styling, your garden can stay bright, colorful, and cheerful all winter long.
