• Lenten rose can bloom flowers through a blanket of snow.Lenten rose - Helleborus niger image by Accent from Fotolia.com
  
  Planting a winter garden is not as hard as it seems, as long as you have an idea of where to start. A few plants are available that will stay bright and add color to your garden throughout the winter. Another benefit of growing winter plants is that they will provide food sources for birds and animals. Make sure to properly care for your plants throughout the year, so that they go into the winter in good condition.
  
  

Witch Hazel

• Witch hazel is a shrub that blooms clusters of crinkled yellow or red blooms on bare stems. The blooms are small, fragrant and bright. The shrubs have beautiful foliage and the flowers bloom from winter to early spring and fall. Place an evergreen shrub in front of this plant to show off its blossoms. Witch hazel prefers slightly acidic soil and partial shade. It can grow to 20 feet high and 12 feet wide. It is hardy in USDA zones are 4 to 8.
  
  

Lenten Rose

• Lenten rose is a perennial plant that is evergreen in winter climates and has attractive flowers that can bloom through a blanket of snow. Lenten rose has dark-green foliage and 2- to 3-inch wide flowers that are white or greenish-white and can sometimes have a pink or purplish blush. These flowers often resemble roses and nod their faces toward the ground. Lenten rose grows up to 20 inches tall in a mound shape. It prefers light to heavy shade and moist, well-drained soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, but is evergreen in zones 6 through 9.
  
  

Glory of the Snow

• Glory of the snow is best suited for cold weather. This plant produces flowers that have a bright, violet-blue outside and white center. Each stem has eight to 10 flowers that are about 1 inch wide, and stalks can reach up to 8 inches. These flowers bloom early in the summer and will last until the snow melts in winter. Glory of the snow prefers full sun and a moist, well-drained soil. The USDA hardiness zones for this plant are 4 through 9.
  
  

Lily of the Valley Bush

• Lily of the valley bush, also called Japanese pieris, is a rounded, compact shrub that produces showy flowers in late winter and early spring. The fragrant, bell-shaped flowers white or pink and bloom in clusters that are 6 inches long. Many different varieties of this plant produce different colors of flowers. Lily of the valley bush should be planted in partial shade and well-drained but slightly moist soil. The USDA hardiness zones for this shrub are 4 through 8. It can sometimes be harmed by a late frost, but will recover.