Content
- Which flowers are hardy in the garden? - Tips for frost-resistant species
- What makes winter-hardy flowers so special?
- Hardiness zones - practical orientation guide
- Tips
Winter hardy flowers throw off their leaves dress in winter
Which flowers are hardy in the garden? - Tips for frost-resistant species
If home gardeners design a flower garden, hardy species and varieties should not be missing. This guide explains characteristic features of winter hardy flowers and gives tips for choosing.
What makes winter-hardy flowers so special?
If a flower is defined as hardy, it will withstand frost and snow at the site without protective measures. This floral masterpiece is based on a sophisticated survival strategy. The following features distinguish perennial flowers:
This clever master plan uses a variety of flowers. These include not only plants with strong roots and rhizomes. Onion flowers, such as narcissi and tulips, also belong in this category. Of course, we should not tuber-flower over a comb. While anemones thrive to a temperature of up to -30 degrees Celsius, exotic dahlias survive the cold season only in frost-free, dark winter quarters.
Hardiness zones - practical orientation guide
Since winter conditions depend significantly on the geographical location, a plant can not be generally described as frost hardy. A flowering all-year-round flower sponge from the Mediterranean shivers in Central Europe even at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Look out for perennial plants for your flower garden, so take a look at the associated hardiness zone.
To capture the sometimes drastic climatic differences, special maps divide Europe into winter hardiness zones with temperatures as a central criterion. For Germany, a total of five winter hardiness zones are valid. These range from WHZ 6a (-23.4 degrees to -17.8 degrees for altitudes) to WHZ 8a (-12.3 degrees to -6.7 degrees for mild winegrowing regions).
In practice, however, it has been found that hardiness zones are only useful as a rough guide. Decisive for the frost tolerance of perennials is the local microclimate in your garden. In a warm, sheltered niche within winter hardiness zone 6a, Mediterranean flowers have a better chance of having an undisturbed wintertime than the exposed, windy location within winter hardiness zone 8a.
Tips
The imaginative, Mediterranean garden design is not limited to frost-sensitive flowers and shrubs.Torch lily (Kniphofia uvaria), sun hat (Rudbeckia) and lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) inspire each year with their colorful flowers and Mediterranean charm.