Three stunning winter-flowering roses to plant now to get colour for months

Whether you have a patio, apartment balcony, or large garden, you can easily brighten up your outside space over the coldest time of year by incorporating some winter-flowering roses.

It's easy to assume that not much thrives in the coldest months of the year, or that evergreen shrubs are the best you're going to get when it comes to seeing some life in your outside space.

However, when it comes to one particular hero plant, it can give your mood a much-needed boost every time you venture into the great outdoors.

The best part is these winter roses are incredibly hardy and pretty low maintenance, so you don't need to be expertly green-fingeredto grow them in your outside space.

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Hellebores, often called winter roses, are always a stunning addition to any green space, and they come in a myriad of varieties, so there are delicate colours and shades to suit every taste or colour scheme you're hoping to create.

These plants need a bit of sunshine, despite thriving in the winter, but in the summer, they might find full sun a bit too much, so they are best placed in a spot that is partially shaded.

They are perennial plants, which means you get to enjoy them for a number of years, but you don't want them to get overwhelmed by serious levels of summer sun and cause damage.

If you're hoping to grow hellebores in pots to enjoy some winter colour, then make sure you get a container that is around the same size as the pot you bought them in.

They will look beautiful in a potted display during the cold months, but ideally, according to the experts at the RHS, they would go in the ground come spring - if that isn't possible in your outside space, bear in mind they might not last as long remaining in a container.

These plants also need regular feeding with a "balanced liquid fertiliser" if they are being grown in pots; they get hungry, and if you skip this step, they won't get enough nutrients to thrive.

However, if you're popping your hellebores in a garden bed or border, they won't need feeding very often - but you have to keep them well watered as they establish themselves.

When it comes to the best options for winter colour, there are three varieties in particular that the Mirror highly recommends.

First up, the hybrid Helleborus x ericsmithii will add some delicately beautiful blooms to your garden from November all the way until January. Hues of pale pink with lime green will get darker in shade as the months progress.

Helleborus niger is completely synonymous with the festive season: it's dubbed the Christmas rose after all.

This one produces bowl-shaped white flowers with a stunning bright yellow centre, and you'll be enjoying the sight of these flowers all the way until February.

Finally, the Lenten rose, latin name Helleborus orientalis, should definitely be on your planting list this October.

Gorgeous clusters of flowers appear on this variety, some of which even have subtle patterns on the petals - and from deep, rich shades to lighter, sweet ones, offset by dark glossy leaves, it's not to be missed.