When winter's chill covers plants in frost, it feels like the garden's secret gift – delicate ice edging bare stems and beading on waxy leaves for that early morning sparkle. These tough picks stand ready, their shapes turning the chill into something festive without a single string of lights. It takes a bit to pick the right mix of varieties, but once planted, they can handle the cold without a whisper of complaint.
When frost covers plants just right, the winter garden feels alive in ways summer can never be. When you are building a garden show that shines through sleet, layer in at different heights so ice plays off the architectural contrast of tall stems and low mounds. Weak winter light hits different angles than the strong summer sun, turning simple shapes into something almost enchanted.
Plants that look good in winter don’t demand much – just a spot where snow can settle and melt without drowning roots. Pick tough varieties that shrug off the freeze and your beds will shimmer with quiet magic all winter long.
Structural Skeletons That Hold Frost & Snow
Bare branches and seed heads stand tall when snow hits, turning your garden into a lacy outline that sways in the wind. These picks keep their shape through freeze-thaw cycles, catching ice in ways that make the yard feel alive even under a foot (30 cm) of white. They’re the backbone – tough, no-fuss plants that reward you with patterns you didn’t have to hang.
1. Hydrangeas
A garden classic for every season, hydrangeas have dried, dome-shaped flower heads that hold intricate patterns of snow and ice all winter. Flowers dry to papery domes that frost clings to like sugar on a cookie. Those old blooms from summer hold snow in lacy caps, dripping slow when the sun peeks out.
Mophead hydrangeas and panicle hydrangeas work best in the winter garden because they don’t flop under the weight of heavy snow. Cut back in late winter if they get too heavy, but leave most for the show.
Plant in part sun with decent drainage – they spread slowly but fill space. A support ring, like this from Amazon, keeps the bases upright through heavy loads of snow.
2. Ornamental Grasses
Tall, wispy plumes on ornamental grasses shimmer when covered in frost or when they the low winter sun. One of my favorite types is miscanthus because the plumes arch like feathers, frosting over to catch every ray at dawn.
The seed heads sway gently, shaking off snow without breaking. They rustle in the wind, too, which adds sound to the quiet winter garden. Switchgrass does the same, though it's a bit shorter and just as feathery.
Be sure to check your local planting guidelines before growing miscanthus, though, as it is considered invasive in several areas of the U.S. Opt for a native ornamental grass, like switchgrass instead if you live in an area where miscanthus is a problem.
Cut ornamental grass to the ground in early spring and it will bounce back well. Full sun and average soil suits miscanthus fine. This plant forms clumps you can divide easily every few years. Tall varieties hit 6 feet (1.8 m) and can screen a fence or path nicely.
Shop unique ornamental grasses at the Home Depot.
3. Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Sedum 'Autumn Joy' holds its flat heads like little tables for frost to sit on. The sturdy, flat-topped flower heads retain their shape, creating icy platforms all winter.
The rusty seeds from fall get edged in white, sparkling against bare ground when snow melts off first. It’s a low-maintenance plant, drought-tolerant, and spreads without bullying neighbors.
Tuck into rock gardens or borders; full sun keeps them compact. Divide clumps every three years to keep flowering strong. I use a steel garden knife, like this from Amazon. Keep them tidy and fleshy leaves will add texture and greenery.
4. Coneflowers
Dark, architectural cones on echinacea plants provide sharp contrast to white snow and frost. Echinacea cones stand dark and pointy, capping with snow that melts to reveal seeds native birds can peck at all winter.
The stiff stems hold ice like etched glass, contrasting the white drifts of snow around. Purple or white varieties both work and they reseed themselves a bit, if you let them.
Don't deadhead coneflowers in fall. Leave faded seed heads for winter interest and then cut in spring. Sunny spots with well-drained soil help them thrive and they’re tough against deer, too.
Foliage That Catches Ice (and Light)
Evergreen leaves and leathery greens turn glassy under ice, refracting sun into tiny rainbows on cold mornings. These plants hold frost without browning, their shapes cutting through fog or sleet for a uniquely beautiful winter appearance.
5. Hellebore
Hellebores, also known as Christmas roses, hold frost in their leathery leaves like little jewels. The glossy foliage often cups beads of frost or dew, creating shine against the evergreen rosettes that push through snow for early blooms. That waxy coat also makes ice slide off slowly, leaving shimmer that lasts days after thawing.
Plant in the shade with rich soil – they spread by seed over time. Mulch lightly, otherwise they’re slug magnets. Nodding flowers add color come February.
Shop a gorgeous variety of hellebore plants from Wayside Gardens.
6. Mahonia
Mahonia, or Oregon grape, leaves spike like holly leaves but they're even tougher, glazing over in ice that cracks when it warms. The holly-like leaf shape holds snow without bending and yellow winter flowers pop against the frost.
The spiky, architectural leaves stand out sharply in the winter landscape. Oregon grape spreads low and wide, making it good as a ground cover.
Partial shade and acidic soil keep them happy and berries feed birds come fall. Prune to shape after blooming with some Fiskars bypass pruners, like these from Amazon. Otherwise, plants get leggy when ignored.
7. Blue Spruce
The fine texture and waxy coating on the needles of the blue spruce tree brilliantly refract light in the winter garden. Blue spruce needles frost to silver spikes, the wax catching light in ways that make the whole tree glow blue-white.
Dwarf spruce varieties fit small yards, holding ice without dropping branches. The texture traps rime like velvet, shimmering at dusk.
Full sun and well-drained soil prevent needle drop; they grow slow but steady. A windbreak spot helps in harsh winters.
Shop an amazing array of spruce trees from Fast Growing Trees.
8. Coral Bells
There are many varieties of heuchera, also known as coral bells, with textured or metallic leaves that catch the sun beautifully, even when frosted. Coral bell leaves rumple metallic under frost, the veins holding ice that melts to dew trails.
Purple or lime varieties contrast snow best, evergreen mounds that soften borders. The ruffled edges trap more frost for extra sparkle.
Part shade and moist soil suit them best, simply divide plants every few years. Flowers on tall stems add a summer bonus show as well.
Nature's Glossy, Iced Ornaments
Berries and hips turn into ornaments when covered in a thin layer of ice or frost, their smooth skins reflecting like glass balls on a Christmas tree. Berries hold color through winter freezes, drawing eyes when everything else in the garden fades to brown.
9. Holly
The highly glossy leaves and bright red holly berries sparkle when covered in a layer of ice. Holly bushes gloss up under frost and berries red and shiny like holiday globes against white snow.
Both English and American holly varieties work, but females need males nearby to produce fruit. The spines on leaves catch snow in funny hats, too.
Hollies prefer sunny spots with acid soil and like a light prune to keep growth dense. Birds love the berries in late winter.
Explore elegant holly bushes from Fast Growing Trees.
10. Winterberry Holly
The smooth red berries of the winterberry holly reflect light dramatically when covered in ice and snow. Winterberry bushes drop their leaves in winter, but keep their orange-red berries clustered tight.
When they frost over they look like candy orbs on twiggy arms. Native and wet-soil tolerant, this shrub lights up swamps or rain gardens. Bright red berry clusters hold through winter storms without dropping.
Full sun is best to get berries and shrubs prefer moist, acidic soil. These shrubs are dioecious, so you have to plant both male and female bushes to get the sought-after ornamental fruit.
Buy both male and female winterberry shrubs from Fast Growing Trees.
11. Rose Hips
These small, smooth, rounded fruits of ornamental roses create tiny, icy jewels. Rose hips are round, red, and ice over to become ruby beads that dangle from thorny canes.
Rugosa roses or species roses produce the biggest hips and they persist when petals long gone. Frost cracks them open slowly, spilling seeds for birds.
Sunny, well-drained spots are perfect for planting. Prune them after fruiting. Hips make a tasty tea, too, if you pick them early.
