A beautiful terrace in winter

Graphic conifers

Conifers are essential plants to adopt on a terrace to provide beautiful volumes, often with unusual foliage, and a palette of nuanced greens, ranging from yellow-green to bluish. They are generally less sensitive to pollution, making them ideal for urban terraces. A selection of conifers of chosen small dimensions that thrive in pots will bring true structure and graphic appeal to a terrace. Depending on the size, one, two, or three can be chosen, for example. They will create vertical lines by selecting a columnar specimen, while a rounded or upright conifer will be perfect for rhythmically balancing the other pots.

Among these “dwarf” conifers, which grow very well in pots due to their slow growth, we find Chamaecyparis, Pinus, and Piceas, to name just a few. If you have a bit of space, combine two conifers with unique foliage shapes (take advantage of short or long needles and scales as foliar variations), or with differing habits or colours: for example, a Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’ with flattened scales and another with contrasting colour, such as the golden hue of a Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmorin Gold’.

With conifers, you also have options for architecturally shaped silhouettes enhanced by your shearing skills… You’ve understood, you absolutely need to install at least one conifer on your terrace!

→ Our favourites: Pinus mugo ‘Mops’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Danica’, Taxus baccata ‘David’, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmorin Gold’, Abies koreana ‘Kohout’s Icebreaker’

From top left to bottom right: Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’, Abies koreana ‘Kohout’s Icebreaker’ and Pinus strobus ‘Minuta’

Evergreen bushes

To bring life to your terrace or balcony throughout all seasons, even in winter, it’s wise to arrange your pots and large containers with several evergreen bushes. Along with conifers, they provide a beautiful presence all year round. If you also choose those that flower in spring or summer, you’ll achieve two goals at once, enhancing the terrace during the warmer months. However, evergreen bushes with decorative foliage should not be overlooked; they are, in fact, incredibly effective, offering a variety of leaf shapes and solid or variegated colours. Also consider the different silhouettes, especially those with trailing habits, which are very ornamental in tall containers. Depending on your region and the exposure of your terrace, your choice will obviously not be the same.

Some are reliable choices, as they prove to be hardy, and can be planted from the North to the South of the country: Euonymus, heathers, rosemary, Berberis, Ilex, rhododendrons, boxwood, lavender, Aucuba, etc. Others even bloom in winter, like Daphnes!

You will have a wide choice among the stunning foliage of Pittosporums, Nandina domestica, Mahonias confusa with slender leaves, cloud-pruned Ilex, bay laurels, or stem-trained Ligustrums. The delicate fragrance of a Sarcococca ‘Winter Gem’, the feminine charm of Edgeworthia chrysantha blooming at the end of winter, the bright yellow of a beautiful stemmed mimosa, or the greyish foliage of a Leptospermum that will awaken its pink flowers in spring in mild regions, the shrubby veronicas and variegated or golden Abelias, the Ceanothus and Escallonia by the sea, and winter jasmines trained on a trellis are all equally attractive options… Not to mention the dwarf bamboos, and many heather soil shrubs chosen for their compact size (azaleas, rhododendrons, Pieris, Skimmias, Kalmias…)

Also consider ivy, which can complement perennials in large planters, especially alongside violets or cyclamen for a very romantic touch.

Finally, in sufficiently mild regions, exotic plants like dwarf palms, Cycas, and other small Agaves will add the perfect touch to a graphic terrace.

→ Our favourites: Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Marjorca Pink’, Abelia grandiflora ‘Sparkling Silver’, Berberis thunbergii ‘Admiration’, Euonymus japonicus ‘White Spire’, Hebe ‘Jewel of the Nile’, Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’

Hebe ‘Jewel of the Nile’, heather, Pieris, Daphne, Lavandula lanata, Mahonia confusa and houseleek

Ornamental perennials

As with bushes, there are plenty of evergreen perennials and grasses that will remain beautiful in winter. To start, there are those that bloom when others are asleep, like Hellebores (or Christmas roses), which look wonderful on an urban terrace, where, elevated in planters, they reveal their delicate flowering more prominently. We also rely on heathers (Erica darleyensis and Erica carnea) that maintain beautiful foliage in other seasons and offer lovely shades in white, pink, and purple. For these two winter essentials, don’t hesitate to combine two varieties for a long-lasting display. Other perennials like Cyclamens add their charm in large planters, mixed with heathers, for example. Wallflowers will brighten the end of winter with their warm tones.

Then there are ornamental evergreen perennials, especially valued for their foliage, or those that will bloom later in the season, such as Heucheras, Euphorbias, and Carex, which you can combine in large pots with many other perennials or as groundcover for small bushes. Spectacular evergreen ferns will be perfect on a terrace facing North or East, while a wormwood or a cushion of Iberis sempervirens will thrive in the South. You can choose from a wide palette of greens, from anise to blue, or caramel to purple!

Finally, to add personality to your terrace, you can install a variety of plants with linear or upright foliage that make a strong impression: Horsetail, Aspidistra elatior, and in a sunny terrace Fescues, Phormiums, Cordylines, or even pots of houseleeks, etc.

Our favourites: Helleborus ‘Ice’n’Roses Picotee’, Iberis sempervirens ‘Snowflake’, Heuchera ‘Marmelade’, Erica darleyensis ‘Ghost Hills’.

Helleborus ‘Ice’n’Roses Picotee’, Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’, Heuchera ‘Marmelade’, Cyclamen coum, and White Heather

Bulbs for Freshness

There are 3 undisputed stars of planters and pots to brighten up the terrace in winter. In the order of their appearance on the calendar: the snowdrops, crocuses, and hyacinths. These three are truly magical for bringing softness and brightness to your outdoor space, available in very soft shades of white, pink, or blue.

They can be accompanied by some Chionodoxas, tulips, or Iris reticulata, which are early bloomers. For a very natural terrace, opt for dwarf botanical crocuses or tulips, which are delightful. Your pots should be prepared in autumn, considering the display of your bulbs: by colour, monochrome for a contemporary terrace, or bicolour, or by combining two plants, for example, early crocuses and tulips. Ensure to plant densely for a beautiful effect, as this is especially important on a terrace.

Finally, the containers for your bulbs should be chosen with care, as they add charm depending on whether you plant them in small decorative baskets, zinc planters, terracotta or glazed pots… Display them well, elevated on a small table, for example, if you choose a small basket, so you can enjoy them comfortably from the living room!

→ Our favourites: Hyacinth ‘Fondant’, Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’, Iris reticulata ‘Scent Sational’

But also...

Don’t forget certain deciduous bushes that offer beautiful winter colour, such as the decorative wood Cornus, which will provide stunning foliage for many months, yellow or purple in autumn, and reveal their orange to red stems in winter. They thrive very well in large pots.

Some shrubs produce rather attractive berries in the heart of winter, with bright red hues that enliven the terrace during the cold season. Among these decorative fruiting shrubs that enjoy pot culture are Gaultherias, Symphorine, Hypericum inodorum, as well as small ornamental apple trees like Malus ‘Appletini’ (or ‘Gulliver’) or Aucuba and Skimmias.

Also enjoy the fruiting of the Physalis, a rather ordinary perennial in summer, which becomes very ornamental in autumn with its orange lantern-like fruits. Grown in a pot on the terrace or balcony, you can admire them all winter if you don’t cut them for your bouquets.

Finally, if you have a bit of space, take advantage of a lovely trellis already installed to grow a beautiful winter clematis of small stature, such as the Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ with its delicate, drooping bell-shaped white flowers, whose evergreen foliage takes on a bronze tint in winter.

Our favourites: Hypericum ‘Miracle Night’, Gaultheria procumbens, Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’

Red stems of Cornus, Gaultheria procumbens, Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’

Final touch: a warm decoration

The decorative touch will be the little extra soul that makes you want to enjoy your terrace even more! Start by giving it a cocoon-like feel by decorating it with some candles and pretty lanterns grouped on a small table, for example (all in the same style – wood or metal – for a beautiful harmony). If you are lucky enough to have a south-facing terrace, you can afford to add some plaid and fluffy cushions on one or two chairs, in a mountain chalet style, to enjoy on sunny days! Your summer fire pit can even be brought back into service on larger terraces, depending on your region. A few large bare branches gathered from the forest or your garden will also provide an opportunity to set up a very trendy tontine, on which some poetic LED garlands can rest, just like converted demijohns turned into enchanting light supports: perfect for enjoying lovely evenings around mulled wine and inviting your terrace to the celebration for New Year’s Eve drinks!