How do I make a winter garden?

Anna Villa
by Anna Villa

What would be the best flowers for a garden, the area faces North and I live in Phoenix ,Az looking for a winter garden.

  5 answers
  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Nov 13, 2018

    Hi Anna, I hope this helps you with your garden that faces north. Good luck My potted flowers generally have joined your orchids in the Great Compost Heap up yonder, so I may not be your best resource here. To really have lots of flowers all year, the easiest thing is to buy whatever's in season, and replace it as soon as it starts to fade. This is what happens to a lot of publicly visible landscaping to keep it fresh always. There are, however, some cactus and succulents that would add form and interest and might survive in a pot. Their blooms tend to be very seasonal but often striking. (I'm partial to aloes myself.) Whatever you end up with, try to shade the pot itself as much as possible, the soil really cooks in there if it gets any direct sun in the summer. Good luck, and please share a picture if you can!

    PS don't worry about failures, just compost and move on. This is a tough neighborhood to garden in!

  • Anna Villa Anna Villa on Nov 13, 2018

    Thank you Peggy

  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Nov 13, 2018

    I'm here too and have year round flowers. I have(one of my favorite scented flowers of all flowers)Freesia(bulbs) all colors & hundreds of them;Cosmos(white,purple,yellow,orange);Calendula;Yarrow(red, & white);Virginia Stock;Balsam;small Marigolds;Many varieties of Daylilies;Navajo Green Thread;Shasta Daisy:Purple Cone flower;Sweet Marjoram;Cat Nip;Lavender;Dill;different types of Lilies Gillardias(Blanket Flowers);Flax;Coriander/Cilantro;Rosemary; Sunflowers(mammoth);Baby toad flax;all kinds of Zinnias(another favorite the colors are just like crayons everywhere);Phlox.All in about 15'x15' area these come up thru out year & sometimes 2x because we have such strong sun and warmth all year. Almost forgot Roses(AZ is one of top producers of Roses);Asparagus fern;Wandering Jew;Kalanchaloe;Epipyllium(Queen of the night) in hanging baskets;African Daisies.Many types of Aloe and Cacti. Sorry got carried away.. Is the area North facing in front of building or wall so sunlight is limited? Pansies;Violas;Anemones;Celosia;Impatients;Sweet potato vines;Columbine;Coral Bell;Aloe(the wider the leaves the more shade);Caladium;Calla Lily;Coleus;Mums?. These plants however shade tolerant won't handle frost so you'd have to cover & most of them will only bloom certain times of year. Most winter blooming flowers here still need the sun to make flowers. Here are some articles https://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/qa-best-fall-flowers-for-the-southwest https://cals.arizona.edu/maricopa/garden/html/pubs/0803/shade.html

  • Anna Villa Anna Villa on Nov 13, 2018

    Thank you, Ive had a few of thise varieties but they dont last long. Not sure what Im doing wrong. This area is against a wall, gets a lot of summer sun in the afternoon.