Woodie’s Picks: Evergreen Thrillers for Winter Container Gardens
The holiday season is here, and it’s time to deck the halls—and your entryway! Whether you’re hosting friends and family or simply want to spread festive cheer, winter container gardens are the perfect way to welcome guests and create a stunning seasonal display.
This week in Woodie’s Picks, we’re highlighting four of our favorite evergreen plants that make gorgeous centerpieces for winter container gardens. Plus, we’ll share the essential elements for creating eye-catching holiday porch pots, ensuring your home shines with style and flair all season long!
Key Elements for a Gorgeous Holiday Porch Pot
When designing your winter container garden or porch pot, keep these three essential elements in mind for a polished, professional look:
Textures
Variety is the spice of life—and container gardens! Combine greenery with different textures to add depth and interest. Think soft, feathery needles alongside structured branches or shiny leaves paired with matte ones.
A great way to add texture to your winter porch pots is to forage goods from your own backyard! Pruning branches from evergreen trees like arborvitae and conifers like spruces can work to bring those various elements of texture to your displays. If you don’t have a lot of options for foraging, don’t fret! Our Birch Poles are a gorgeous textured element that radiates natural beauty while also adding height to your winter planters.
Colors
Winter doesn’t have to mean dull or monotone. Incorporate pops of color with berries, ornaments, or decorative twigs. Deep greens from evergreens pair beautifully with seasonal reds, silvers, and whites.
One of our favorite ways to add a vibrant pop of color to winter porch pots is with Red Twig Dogwood Stems! Interspersing these stems haphazardly throughout your holiday porch pot will bring bold color and natural winter beauty to your home.
Layers
Create visual balance by layering plants and decorations. Use taller “thriller” plants for height, “filler” plants to add fullness, and cascading “spillers” to soften edges. This layering technique creates a harmonious and inviting design.
The thrillers are the main event in your winter porch pots, as they are the eye-catching center of attention. If you are stumped on what to use as your thriller…we have a few ideas!
Four Evergreen Thrillers for Your Winter Planters
Every beautiful container garden needs a star—an evergreen centerpiece that stands out and sets the tone for the entire arrangement. Here are our top picks:
1. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
This compact evergreen is a classic choice for winter planters. With its dense, pyramid-like shape and soft needles, it offers a timeless appeal. Perfect for small or large containers, the Dwarf Alberta Spruce is both elegant and versatile.
Beyond its surface-level beauty, the Dwarf Alberta Spruce is iconic for its cold hardiness, low-maintenance nature, and natural resilience to pests. Hardy to USDA zones 3-8, this stunning conifer thrives best in conditions of well-drained soil and cool, low-humidity environments. These trees will also thrive best when planted in the ground, so we recommend planting your Dwarf Alberta Spruce in the ground come springtime.
2. Emerald Petite Arborvitae
Known for its vibrant green hue and compact size, the Emerald Petite Arborvitae is an excellent option for adding height without overwhelming your planter. Its neat and tidy growth habit ensures a polished look all season long.
In addition to its bright evergreen foliage, the key benefits of the Emerald Petite Arborvitae are its slow growth rate, petite mature size, drought resistance, and ability to thrive in containers! While most evergreens will outgrow a container or location near the home, the Emerald Petite remains a perfect five-foot height and two-foot width at maturity. These dwarf, evergreen trees are hardy to zones 3-7 and grow best in conditions of full sun to partial shade.
3. Blue Point Juniper Spiral Topiary
For a touch of whimsy and sophistication, choose the Blue Point Juniper Spiral Topiary. Its unique, sculptural shape adds an architectural element to your container garden, making it a true conversation starter.
Using the Blue Point Spiral Topiaries on each side of an entryway makes a grand statement for a home. The attractive bluish-green needles, paired with the innate spiral form, make this evergreen an eye-catching and unique option for container gardens. As an added bonus, these topiaries are low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant!
4. Pyramidal Boxwood
The Pyramidal Boxwood brings a sleek classic beauty to any arrangement. Its rich, dark green foliage and tidy, symmetrical form provide a refined backdrop for showy seasonal accents like bows, pinecones, or twinkling lights.
The Pyramidal Boxwood radiates natural elegance and is the perfect option if you're going for a more formal look for your home’s exterior. These shrubs require minimal pruning to maintain their uniform shape, and they thrive in a variety of growing conditions. Pyramidal Boxwoods are hardy to USDA zones 5-9 and thrive in well-drained, slightly alkaline soils.
Shop Evergreen Centerpiece Plants Online Today
This holiday season, let your entrance be as festive as the celebrations happening inside your home. With a mix of textures, pops of seasonal color, and these standout evergreen centerpieces, your winter container garden will surely leave a lasting impression.
Happy holidays and happy planting!