How about Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) and Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). The jasmine has great color but no scent. The honeysuckle has great fragrance. Both bloom in late winter.

Snapdragons make a beautiful cool weather plant. I especially love Lenten roses. They stay green all winter and bloom in late winter/very early spring. For shrubs, consider leatherleaf mahonias. They have pretty yellow blooms in late winter followed by blue berries, though these don't last long before the birds gobble them up. Hollies in lots of varieties and sizes will give you red berries all winter. There are other plants that have berries in winter.

My absolute favorite winter plant that does well in a pot is winter daphne! Looks good, and smells good too!

Here is a link that might be useful: Daphne odora

I am still working on looking all of these these plants up. With a new grandbaby, I don't have as much computer time as I once did- LOL
I had never heard of the daphnes before. After researching them, they look like something that I would enjoy.
I appreciate everyones help in my search for a four seasons container garden.

I have lots of Summer Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) which is starting to emerge. Really old heirloom plants, you can divide the clumps and make more every year.

I finally got to take time to look up the plants that ya'll have recommended. The leatherleaf mahonias will not work for me as they have prickly edges, although they appear to be beautiful. The Winter Jasmine and Winter Honeysuckle spread out too much for now. I will include them when I get settled into a permanent home again. I have added the Summer Snowflakes, Daphnes, and Lenten Roses to my wish list.
What form/variety of snapdragons do you prefer? How do they perform for you? How do they overwinter? Do you grow them from seed or just pick them up at a nursery?

I see no one ever answered and so I'll do what I can. I can get snapdragons at any local nursery, including walmart. I just get plants because I have a nasty habit of forgetting that I have seeds that need to be watered. I've tried both the smaller and taller varieties. I love them both. I think I've been doing best planting them in the fall. But have planted them in early spring also and they did well. So far I have covered them on the very coldest nights of the winter. Hopefully someone here will give input on the lower limit of temps they can handle without being covered. I'd be interested.
By the way, a local nursery taught me that violas are more prolific with their blooms and more hardy than pansies.

I discovered Summer Snowflakes in the yard of our former house, which was 100 years old. So can't tell you how to get hold of some. They are an old passalong plant, from my understanding. They end up making a nice sized clump about a foot and a half tall. They are the very first flower to bloom in my yard each year. Just love them! They are easily divided and replanted.

Sorry. I didn't see your question about the snapdragons. I get them at the big box in the fall and they seem to stay around all winter. You can get seeds and just scatter them on the ground in early fall and let 'em grow. I've had some reseed on their own. I've never paid much attention to varieties 'cuz I love them all.

The Summer Snowflakes (which I know as snowbells) should be available from companies that sell bulbs or some mail order nurseries. Plantdelights.com has a September Snowflake. The link below is to Easy To Grow Bulbs, which I've never ordered from. They have a large variety that blooms in the spring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leucojum Gravetye Giant

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be attempting the snapdragons again, and have added several of the other plants to my trade list. It is a constant amazement to me, that when I think that I know about a common plant, and then research it, I discover so much more information. Thanks ya'll (-:

I am so excited to have my Batchelor Button or "Cornflower" in the ground! I have admired it for the last couple of years around B'ham., (in the spring and summer, not exactly sure when)... but you have to plant it now for it to bloom then. I,of course, kept forgetting until this year...mission accomplished! The green looks nice amongst my Daisies and Pansies now, however. It is really beautiful! For blossoms now I am loving my pretty English Daisies. Bright pink with bright yellow centers. Other colors are available, too. They look great with pansies. About the same size. I can't believe I've not used them before.