Colour In The Garden For The Winter?

[davidk65]

We struggle with gardening. But my wife, in spring and summer, has a large number of pots that she plants with bright coloured bedding plants, which we arrange around the garden.. But the problem is what can we do to have a colourful display in the winter?
We have a small rear garden that is rectangular in shape which is wider than it is long.. One side is boarded by our bungalow (long side). On the two shorter sides, there are tall fences between us and our neighbours, Opposite the bungalow (the other long side) but some 3.5 mt away, there is a conifer hedge. This hedge marks the boundary between our garden and a lot of mature trees on a golf course.
In front of the conifers (in our garden) we have attempted to establish a boarder. Unfortunately the soil in the boarder has been taken over by surface roots from the hedge and other stuff that come through from the course making it very difficult to plant and cultivate the soil, hence the use of pots.
All suggestions on what we could do welcome.

[woofgang]

winter pansies, winter primroses, gaultheria (partridge berries) winter heathers.

[Buenchico]

A couple of RHS links that might help:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=111
and
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=584

I often prefer colourful foliage over colourful flowers, so that might also be something worth thinking about:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=997

[Prudie]

Conifers are notorious for being inhospitable to plants growing underneath them so I'd give up trying to make that border work -continue with tubs and boxes.
I'd also plant some up (now) with early flowering spring bulbs

[Baldric]

// In front of the conifers (in our garden) we have attempted to establish a boarder //
A lodger in your garden, that's unusual?

[Buenchico]

^^^ I've been fighting back the urge to ask if that boarder was paying rent, Baldric ;-)

[Baldric]

You just gotta get in there Chris.

[Chipchopper]

For all year round interest, what I like to grow in a situation like that, is Heuchera. They have a vast range of colorful foliage and flowers too, which are mind blowing to look at and just brighten up the place.

[davidk65]

Good Morning. Hey so you spotted my deliberate mistake! I had a good laugh at my spelling too. My family would not be surprised.
Lots of very good suggestions for winter colour and so difficult to pick a best answer. Even the boarder enjoyed it. Thanks. I will keep reading.