If you're referring to plants that you've put into pots and baskets you're probably talking about bedding plants and not flowering shrubs so - as with all annuals/bedding they're going to be fairly shortlived.

These winter flowering bedders will flower from now through until the late winter but they'll die back a bit if we get a cold winter like last year - they'll probably perk up a bit when the milder spells appear through it !

If you've sited them in a sheltered spot you might get them to stay in flower throughout the period.
They'll need watering weekly, so much less than than the spring and summer bedders.
Make the drainage good because you don't want them to get too wet feet and rot away.

My violas last late spring and can still be seen blooming into summer.

As for watering no I cut down and let the elements tend to water.

My wall planters have violas so that I do water weekly.

As rain does not get to that.

Kimola its so nice to pop in to a GC at this time of year to see what is in bloom.

I plant violas and pansies for winter flowering because they are in pots and they do not need to be fed or watered. Dead heading is not necessary in the winter months because it is too cold for the plant to bother trying to set seed. A good tip I was given, only use plants which are at the flowering stage when you plant them in their winter quarters or they will wait until Spring before flowering. Also as soon as you put them in the soil, compost etc., dead head them, until you see fresh green growth, then you will ensure they bush out and grow bigger plants and will give a great show over the winter.
If you put miniture tulip or daffodil bulbs in amongst them you will have the added height later in the winter and early spring.

Could you tell us what plants you're asking about Kimola? Louise, Scotkat and Scotsgran have probably covered the possibilities, but there may be more to add if we know what your plants are.

my Viburnum 'Dawn' has tiny flowers at the moment with a gorgeous apple blossom scent -- it flowers on and off except in the really bad weather then again early spring, and how about Mahonia'charity' lovely yellow flowers with a 'lily of the valley ' scent thats just making buds now-- then Hellebores (christmas roses)-- all depends on the weather and your garden of course

I am totally in love with Daphne Odora which starts flowering in Feb and continues for weeks and weeks. The scent is heavenly. Winter bedding is colourful but give me the sweet scented winter shrubs - viburnum, honeysuckle and fabulous daphne. Having said that, I'm off to get some pansies tomorrow!

thankyou every one looks like i am going to have a lot of colour all winter as long as it not to bad a one thank you scotsgran helped me a lot just first time i have put winter bedding plant in but i no a little more thanks to every one that have given me advise :))))))))))))))))))))))