This is the season to be planning and replanting for the oasis that will be next season's garden. But which ones will survive a rough winter?

The 2022-2023 Farmer's Almanac is calling for Iowa to be in a "hibernation zone" with air temps that could reach as low as 40 degrees below zero in January (you will not see me if that happens. Hibernation in effect.)

Farmer's Almanac

What can happen with your garden is a vicious cycle: you replant flowers now to make next spring's garden pretty, they do not survive the brutal winter, and you end up spending more money on plants you weren't planning on getting when spring comes around because the flowers just look so pretty at Lowe's or Home Depot. Round and around we go.

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What Flowers Can Survive The Winter

Most of my family are pretty good gardeners and each of them wants their garden to have a kind of signature look, a flare of their own creativity and design. Of course, you want your garden to have variety in plants and in color. Whether the flowers you choose are perennials or not, if you live in Iowa, you still need plants that are hearty and strong enough to survive the cold weather, especially if it gets as cold, icy, and snowy as is expected this year.

Need ideas on what to plant in your garden this fall? Scroll down to see a list of 29 plants that can thrive in a harsh Iowa winter.

Which Flowers Thrive in the Quad Cities

Signs a Long Hard Winter is Ahead

Have you seen any "evidence" of a harsh winter ahead? Let's take a look at some Midwest folklore stories that could predict how early or rough our winter will be.

Quad City Pumpkin Patches

It's pumpkin pickin' time in the Quad Cities. Pumpkins make great fall decorations and they are obviously fun to carve. If buying a pumpkin at a store doesn't cut it and you want the full experience of a pumpkin patch, we have the full list of pumpkin patches throughout the Quad Cities. If we are missing any local pumpkin patches, email us here.