This colorful plant is a must for winter, says British garden expert Alan Titchmarsh

If you’re looking for a vivid splash of color to liven up your garden in winter, British expert gardener, author and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh recommends popping some winter jasmine in the ground or a large planter, before the frosts take hold. 

'Winter jasmine certainly earns its keep,' he says. 'It’s a popular and reliable shrub, valued for its cheery, bright yellow flowers, which appear on bare stems.'

Winter jasmine will happily scramble up a wall with little support, forming large bunches of climbing tendrils studded with starry bright yellow flowers – although white varieties are available – that lift the spirits even on the coldest days. 

Choose winter jasmine for seasonal cheer

Winter jasmine is one of the best winter-flowering shrubs because it has a long season in bloom, springing into life as early as November through to March.

Alan adds: 'The hardiest of the jasmines, unlike others, its blooms are unscented, but they make up for this by appearing very early in the season.'

'It’s perfectly-suited to this time of year,' says Antony Selvaganam, founder of plant website Plantials. 'Those bright yellow flowers on arching stems perfectly highlight foggy winter mornings and dull dusks.'

• Shop winter jasmine in the US: view at Amazon
• Shop winter jasmine in the UK: view at Crocus

It takes care of itself

One of the best things about winter jasmine is that it's a low maintenance shrub and easy to grow in any kind of well-drained soil. You can pretty much forget about it during the summer and then in late fall, it will burst into life just as everything else in your winter garden is dying back.

Oberon Copeland, owner and CEO of advice website Very Informed likes its adaptability: 'First, winter jasmine is highly resilient and can tolerate both hot and cold weather. This makes it an ideal plant for regions with unpredictable weather patterns.'

Easy backyard brightener

If you’re growing winter jasmine in a smaller space, it’s a great idea to train it upwards and over vertical climbing plant supports. 

'To grow winter jasmine in a small garden, guide the young shoots to climb up walls and fences while trimming them regularly to contain them in the available garden space,' says Alex Tinsman, founder of the How to Houseplant website. 'The plant can grow extensively even when planted in pots.'