Foreign plants can boost winter gardens

As gardeners move their favourite summer-time plants into the greenhouse for the winter, they need not leave their garden bare and sad-looking.

According to the Guardian, some plants from exotic climes can actually survive the UK winter and provide extra colour in the garden that will amaze the neighbours as theirs go bare.

Gardening expert Carol Klein wrote that some plants native to Australia and New Zealand can even flourish in UK soil in the colder months.

Plants like Libertia peregrinans, Astelias and Celmisia Coriacea are evergreens and spring into life when many others are preparing to hibernate for winter.

The foreign species can keep the garden looking vibrant over winter, according to Ms Klein.

Another colourful winter plant that has proved very popular this year is the poinsettia.

The red-leafed plant is popular in the US and is enjoying a Christmas resurgence in the UK.