10 Plants for Colder Community Gardens
- 10 Plants for Colder Community Gardens -
Though there aren’t extreme temperature differences throughout the UK, there are some areas where it’s a little chillier at certain times of the year. Therefore, it’s important to pick plants that are suited to the climate of the community garden to provide success.
So, with that in mind, here are 10 winter plants for the colder community garden
- Flowers and Foliage -
Cotoneaster
Our first plant for colder community gardens is the Cotoneaster.
Cotoneasters are fantastic shrubs for the garden, with evergreen types available for year-round structure and colour.
They’re an all-round win because the shrubs have cup-shaped flowers that are a popular with pollinators such as bees and butterflies, which are followed by berries which are a win for birds.
Cotoneaster berries are popular with blackbirds, thrushes and waxwings.
They are a wonderful plant to have in your community garden, especially for volunteers to sit and watch the birds feed.
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape)
These vigorous growing shrubs have glossy evergreen leaves that start as green and turn purple through winter.
With clusters of yellow flowers blooming through spring, they provide plenty of colour, especially when followed by black berries in summer.
They give all this without demanding a lot and are tolerant of many conditions.
Buddleja davidii (Butterfly bush)
The purple flowers of the butterfly bush are a magnet for butterflies.
This is a great addition for all gardens, particularly ones with children as they love to sit and spot which butterflies are paying the community garden a visit.
From summer into autumn the flowers put on a show on this plant that grows up to 4m tall.
Narcissus (Daffodil)
Another plant perfect for colder community gardens is the Narcissus (daffodil).
Planting daffodil bulbs is great fun and an excellent activity for the kids to get involved in.
Plant daffodil bulbs between September and November in a sunny spot with well-drained soil.
Then, come spring the bulbs will bloom with bright, cheery yellow colour.
These beautiful flowers will signify the start of growing season in your community garden.
Callicarpa bodinieri (beautyberry)
Beautyberries have jewel-like berries that appear in clusters all over the branch. They have a wonderful effect in autumn.
The tiny flowers can be either white or purple. It is due to their bright purple or pale white that birds laregly ignore them.
The foliage will turn from bronze, then green, and finally rosy-pink throughout the year.
Vegetables
Vegetables can make perfect plants to grow in colder community gardens. Opt for hardy vegetables for less challenging growing. Using a greenhouse, cloches, or polytunnel for extra insulation, warmth and to prolong the growing season.
Broad Beans
Low maintenance and easy to grow, these are a must have for a community garden.
When the beans appear, pick and eat them straight away for that delightful, sweet taste.
Sow the seeds directly into the ground from March to May.
Doing so will ensure harvests throughout summer.
Swiss Chard
This beautiful vegetable has looks as well as great taste – it’s easy to grow too so it’s a win-win.
Sow weeds from March to July and you can have harvests of these colourful leaves all year round.
Winter Lettuce
Sow lettuce seeds from March up until September for a continuous supply of the leaves. Give them a sunny spot in moist but well-drained soil and they’ll happily grow.
Sprouting Broccoli
Not phased by cooler weather, sprouting broccoli is a hardy veg that overwinters well ready for harvests in spring.
Leek
After a hard frost, leeks may look a bit worse for wear, but they recover well and will continue to grow through cold conditions in winter.
Sounds Good, Doesn't it?
Whether you want flowering and foliage plants for visual beauty in the community garden or are focusing on growing fruit and veg, there are plenty of options. Even if your garden is in a colder region, there’s no need to compromise on beauty and crops to grow.