Spruce up dull January - these are eight flowers you didn't know could thrive in winter

To achieve the perfect garden through the winter season, experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk are offering insight into some of the best winter flowers and plants.

Oftentimes, gardens are thought of as being quite dull through the winter months and then coming alive in spring.

However, there are lots of flowers that thrive in winter and bring joy and life to gardens across the UK.

A spokesman for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “We want to encourage homeowners to spruce up their gardens all year-round, and the amount of easy to manage winter-flowering plants make it easy to do so.

“Flowers such as winter heather and winter clematis are beautiful throughout the winter with their bright colors but also spread over areas so make a huge impact in any size garden.”

Here are GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk’s top flowers for winter:

Snowdrops

Snowdrops are appropriately named for the season and the first bulbs of the year to flower, heralding the new year and thriving from January to March. There are a variety of types, including single and double flowered types. All of which are sure to brighten up any garden.

Christmas rose

Super festive and perfect for the winter season are these gorgeous small white roses. They are the first of the hellebores to flower, usually in January but sometimes as early as Christmas.

Winter Aconites

These golden yellow buttercup-like flowers will bring light to even the gloomiest of winters. They are perfect for planting beneath trees or within grass to create a beautiful carpet of bright yellow and will quickly begin to flower from February.

Algerian Iris

The large lilac-blue petals of this iris are revealed throughout the darkest days of Winter. The petals are held close together which makes for a fuller and larger iris. In mild weather, they can be seen flowering as early as Christmas through to March.

Mahonia

Best grown in moist but well-drained soil in partial shade, these sunny yellow spikes of flowers are popular among gardeners and winter-active bumblebees!

Winter heather

As well as brightening up the garden with large plumes of purple and white flowers, heathers spread once planted and inhibit weeds as they go.

Daphne

Usually found blooming in early February, Daphnes are a great way to spruce up small gardens as they flourish in window boxes, large containers, mixed borders, areas of dry shade and even gravel gardens.

Winter clematis

Otherwise known as Clematis cirrhosa, this is a perennial climber with cream coloured flowers and glossy green foliage. They flower in December and January, making them the perfect flower to include in garden landscapes for the winter seasons.