Joanna Gaines’ Unexpected Floral Display Is Making Me Rethink Winter Flowers – Here’s How to Get the Look

If anyone can make us rethink our preconceptions about home design and gardening, it’s TV personality and entrepreneur Joanna Gaines. In a recent Instagram post, she shared a close-up shot of stunning winter flowers in a small glass vase. It was proof that gardens don’t need to be dull and dormant when temperatures drop.

Rather than bare branches and endless evergreens (which we love, but green can get boring after 4 months straight), her post showed that pops of purple, blue, and pink can feel downright rebellious during the winter months.

The small bouquet appeared to include Icelandic poppies and delphiniums – with the latter being particularly unusual for this time of year. These are excellent reminders that winter gardens can still surprise us with late-blooming plants.

Joanna lives in Texas, in USDA zone 8, where there is more choice of winter bloomers. However, believe it or not, there are plenty of hardy flowers that thrive in colder zones too, which can be cut to bring color, texture, and even a little fragrance to your house on dark days.

Here are five of the most colorful winter-blooming flowers, and how to care for and style them indoors or out.

1. Camellias

Camellias are the drama queens of winter gardens, in the best way possible. They have glossy, evergreen leaves and large, rose-like flowers that steal the spotlight from late fall, all the way through early spring.

Outdoor care: Camellias do best in partial shade, with a well-draining, slightly acidic soil. If you really want to keep them happy, put them in a protected spot away from the wind. Add some mulch to insulate roots in case there is a cold snap or if you live in a place with particularly cold winters. Garden mulch from Home Depot works well for this.

Indoor styling: If you cut the branches to bring inside, put them in a tall vase for an elegant table centerpiece. One camellia bloom is so gorgeous that it can carry an entire room, and Joanna Gaines clearly knows this.

2. Hellebores

Hellebores are often called Christmas roses or Lenten roses, and they’re true stars of the winter garden. These will bloom when almost nothing else will, giving you shades of white, pink, green, and deep purple throughout the cold months.

Outdoor care: Hellebores thrive in partial shade and tolerate frost easily. Remove old leaves in late winter to show off the flowers and improve airflow. In very cold regions, breathable frost protection, like this fleece from Amazon, can help protect flower buds during extreme cold.

Indoor styling: Hellebores look great in low bowls or rustic containers, like this white vase from Target. Keep them cool indoors, away from heat vents, to extend their bloom time.

3. Ipheion

Ipheion, also known as spring starflower, may look delicate, but it’s surprisingly tough as nails. Its star-shaped purple or blue flowers are an early winter-to-spring treat.

Outdoor care: Plant these bulbs in well-draining soil and full sun or at least light shade. Once established, these are super low-maintenance.

Indoor styling: Group several of these together to create a soft, meadow-like bouquet on windowsills to bring a little life to your neighborhood.

4. Winter Jasmine

Despite its name, winter jasmine is a cheerful, summery-looking flower that brightens a gray winter afternoon. While they don’t have much scent, the color alone makes them worthwhile.

Outdoor care: Winter jasmine is extremely hardy and loves full sun. It works well when spilling over walls or covering the ground on slopes.

Indoor styling: Cut branches can be forced indoors in water. If they’re already bloomed, place them in a simple glass vase to really let the bright yellow color do the talking.

5. Cyclamen

Cyclamen are winter favorites as they do well in pots or containers, and they have marbled leaves with flowers in pink, red, white, and purple.

Outdoor care: In milder climates, cyclamen thrive outdoors in partial shade. In colder areas with harsh winters, they should be treated as seasonal container plants and protected during hard freezes.

Indoor styling: Cyclamen look simply charming on tabletops, shelves, and entryways. Keep them in cooler rooms with bright, indirect light. Water them from the bottom to avoid rotting on the crown. Neutral colors pair beautifully with the brightness of these flowers, so try a neutral vase like this one from Amazon.

Joanna Gaines’ Instagram photo proves that your winter garden doesn’t have to be boring, dull, or only green. With the right flowers, your garden or living room can still feel alive, colorful, and intentional.