Columbia Road Flower Market in Winter
Columbia Road Flower Market, also known as the Columbia Road Market, is one of London’s most popular and colourful flower markets – and it only operates during the winter months. Every Sunday between visitors flock to the market to find flower vendors, along with lots of other attractions such as coffee stands, food trucks, and street performers. If you’re wondering how to get to Columbia Road Flower Market or what time it opens, this guide has all the answers you need!
Gorgeous Winter Plants
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can bring some lovely flowers into your home by incorporating one of these seven gorgeous winter plants into your décor. The best part? They last all season long! With so many different varieties, no matter what color scheme you’re going for, there’s a perfect plant for your home or office.
1) Clematis Paniculata (Winter flowering Clematis)
Blooming from December until early spring, Clematis Paniculata is one of our favorite flowers to grow. Its flowers are just lovely and its leaves are interesting throughout all seasons. It can be trained up a wall or along a pergola, but I find it just as effective to let it scramble over fences and hedges. The best thing about its winter flowering abilities is that it can be used in combination with other species of clematis to create amazing floral displays all through Winter.
2) Coleus Canina (Dog's Leaf)
Named for its striped leaves that are reminiscent of a dog’s fur, Coleus Canina is one of our favorite winter plants. Native to South America, Coleus is an easy-to-grow perennial that boasts rich purple flowers with stunning white streaks. If you’re looking for a lush plant to brighten up your home during cold months, look no further than Coleus Canina. For more information on how to grow speak to one of our traders at Columbia Road Flower Market.
3) Helleborus Sps (Christmas Rose)
If you’re looking for a large and brightly colored plant, Helleborus (often referred to as Christmas Roses) should be at the top of your list. The flowers, which bloom around Christmas time, are commonly found throughout London's flower markets and will liven up any garden or table during those dark winter months. These hardy perennials can handle temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).
4) Cyclamen Hederifolium (Common Cyclamen)
Though cyclamen are native to Southern Europe, they’re well suited for colder climates. These plants can endure below-freezing temperatures and thrive when planted in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Cycles have beautiful leaves that come in shades of red, pink, or white—though you won’t find these leaves until winter rolls around. The plants blossom in January or February depending on where you live, so keep your eyes peeled for blooms!
5) Scilla Siberica (Siberian Squill)
Winter blooming plants are hard to come by, but if you look carefully, you can find some at any time of year. One of our favorites is scilla siberica, or Siberian squill. This bulb-like plant blooms for just a few weeks each winter, producing white star-shaped flowers that last until mid-spring. But where do you even get such a thing? Where does it grow best? And what on earth do I do with it when I get it home? Speak to one of the traders at Columbia Road Flower Market.
6) Geranium Argenteum 'Album'
Some of our favorite winter plants are hardy geraniums, which are renowned for their beautiful white foliage. The Geranium Argenteum 'Album' is a popular variety among Londoners because it’s easy to care for and adds elegance to your home all winter long.
7) Liriope Muscari (Big Blue Lilyturf)
One of my favorite things about living in London is that I can just walk down to Columbia Road and get fresh flowers every weekend. This market never fails to inspire, and one of my favorite types of flowers that they sell here is Liriope Muscari (Big Blue Lilyturf). Although its name seems fancy, it’s a fairly common variety—in fact, many people call it by its Japanese name: Monkshead.
