Rubbish gardener after advice

[britespark1]

Hi, I am absolutely rubbish at gardening and kill almost every poor plant I touch. I was hoping someone could recommend both hardy outdoor flowers to brighten up my rockery during the winter months and maybe some bulbs to look at planting now for the spring.

Start with one shrub or small tree (rowan) and spring-flowering bulbs, and the rest will find it’s way to you bit by bit.

There's not all that much that is both robust for a newbie and also flowers in winter. Except winter flowering pansies. They should be in the garden centres now.

Perhaps it is me, but I have never had much luck with winter flowering pansies. They sit and look frozen through the winter and then perk up and bloom come spring.

There are some attractive cabbage type plants but they too tend to look scraggly over the cold months.

I agree with the suggestion of planting some bulbs. There are some, such as snow drops, that bloom very early.

And hellebores! Tough and brave, and they give flowers in deepest winters when everything is bleak. But the smaller ones, cheapest sorts because they will grow their roots out better over a/w (the bigger pots are too densely packed) and they will hybridise to produce beautiful dusky pink families. They prefer moist, shady buts rather than full sun, you can plant them under trees. They are magically tough.

As for bulbs, plant crocuses and snowdrops (chemical free if possible for the bees), and daffodils/narcissi in the colour and scent of your choice. Less need to be organic as the bumblebees don’t really feed on them. Tulips are faffy, avoid if you want, but the wilder ur-tulips are easier and less snail-beaten.

Muscari and scilla bulbs and also magically tough and require no work at all. And bluebells too, in shade or under trees, low maintenance, get the english ones rather than spanish. For many reasons.

Plant a cornelian cherry, rowan or wild cherry, bare rooted now, the smallest and cheapest sapling will adapt and grower faster than a taller sapling! Unbelievable but true.

Thank you all so much for the ideas, lots to look into (and splurge on come pay day!)

In the same position as OP, can anyone recommend websites that are particularly good for healthy bulbs. TIA

Came on to say hellebore...they are fantastic and such a lift to the heart when they flower every year. Love them

I would add reticulated iris and violets for spring colour.

Another shrub that blooms very early is witch hazel. Beautiful yellow flowers.

Also winter flowering viburnums. In my old garden I had a lovely pink flowering one that was such a treat in February and March. So so pretty.

Both witch hazel and viburnum brighten the very grey days we get in Vancouver. They are quite exotic looking.

Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ is in flower now and will carry on flowering until April. Think also about coloured bark, eg Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’. Prune in spring to encourage well coloured stems for next winter.