Landscaping Ideas for the Colder Months

There’s nothing that says more ‘ugh’ than a desiccated patch of lawn. Winter is a time of gloom, when the summertime garden is woefully stripped down to barren branches, little more than a skeletal network of trees. For many gardeners, landscaping is the last thing on their minds during this time, as they allow their yards to be buried beneath layers of cold, forbidding snow. 

Despite the many drawbacks of winter, there’s beauty to be gleaned from the starkness of the season: crimson berries peeking through frost or the occasional sighting of blue jay foraging for grub. If you’re one of those gardeners who marvel in the pristine quality of first frost, you might want to consider a few landscaping ideas that can help your property stand out throughout the snowy season. 

Preparing Your Garden for Winter

Before focusing on your winter landscaping, there are a few essential tasks you need to check off to ensure that your garden is properly prepared in advance of freezing temperatures. 

Key Tips to Keep in Mind:

• Mulch for insulation: Add a couple inches of mulch to your garden beds for insulation to prevent damage and frost from extreme temperatures. 
• Protect your plants: Hardy vegetables such as brussels sprouts and broccoli can survive in the ground without extra protection, but other crops may need a row cover. 
• Wheel in warm-weather plants: If implementing row covers and digging up bulbs for the winter sounds too much of a hassle, opt for rolling garden planters that allow you to transport inside more delicate plants, protecting them from the winter chill. 
• Cut diseased growth: Many perennials can be left in place for winter interest, instead of cutting them back. However, it’s important to duly remove any dead or diseased growth for a tidier appearance – a hori hori knife is recommended. 
• Turn off your irrigation system: Turn off your watering system before frost hits; otherwise, you may incur frost damage. 

 

1. Choose Shrubs that Produce Berries             

Bright red berries are always an unexpected sight in the dearth of winter, their jewel-toned colors beautifully contrasting with the paleness of snow. Winterberry is a popular option that bears striking sprays of tiny berries while the common snowberry forms waxy white berries that blend in with the landscape. In addition to providing winter interest, they also serve as food for birds and wildlife. 

 

2. Landscape with Evergreens    

Evergreen trees, whether as mass hedges or single specimen plantings, are natural accents that add a structural element, serving as the framework that lays the foundation for ornamental grasses and berry-producing shrubs. Frame the edges of your yard with a compact variety clipped into neat domes, such as wintergreen boxwood, to enforce symmetry – an effect that will endure even beneath a blanket of snow. More compact conifer varieties, such as the Dwarf Alberta Spruce, are easily portable and are a good way to add a temporary, seasonal touch. If you’re unsure whether you want these miniature varieties to be permanent or not, plant them in raised containers so that they’ll be there only when you need them. 

3. Leave Seed Heads in Place    

Many long-blooming perennials have attractive seed heads that, taken individually, may not seem like much. But when planted in sweeping swaths and layered with other winter-hardy plants, the interplay of color and texture can create a dynamic winter landscape. The stark seed heads of Black-eyed Susans, when juxtaposed against colorful shrubs and grasses, form a colorful tapestry come winter, the colors weaving together like a mosaic of stained glass. 

4. Look for Trees with Interesting Bark Texture and Colors    

While the bark of many trees is dull and unappealing, in some tree species, it’s their most outstanding trait – the bark of the rainbow eucalyptus peels back to reveal spectacular multicolor streaks. During the winter, when much is bare, focusing on trees with interesting bark can help add a much-needed dimension to the landscape. 

Birch and aspen are both trees with distinctive bark that can resemble eyes; paperbark maple has peeling, mahogany bark that evoke a poetic romanticism. Dogwood species with colorful twigs include Golden-Twig Dogwood and Tatarian Dogwood, which glows a fiery red against snowdrifts. Corkscrew hazel, also known as Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, is another interesting tree that leaves a striking impression due to its intensely twisted tangle of branches. 

5. Introduce Hardy Ornamental Grasses 

Ornamental grasses can transform your lackluster lawn into a rustic, charming visage, like a winter wonderland. Many ornamental grasses, like these in the genius Miscanthus, hold their place even when covered in snow. Look for silvery plants such as Calocephalus 'Silver Bush,' which brings luminous white flowers in the summer and soft, frosty foliage in the winter. Instead of cutting your plants back, leave them in place for ornamental appeal and shelter for wildlife. Combine with compact shrubs with berries, and you’ll have eye-catching displays that stay in place against the frost. 

6. Consider Atmospheric Lighting 

For gardeners up north, winters can be dreary and bitterly cold. Simple lighting additions such as solar lights can illuminate pathways and brighten up windows from the garden, even if you aren’t outside. Supplement with twinkling fairy lights for a festive ambiance. Candlelit lanterns, particularly Moroccans-style lanterns with intricate latticework, bring a mystical atmosphere when hanging from tree branches or set on the patio. 

7. Implement Gothic Hardscaping 

An understated benefit of arched trellises, wrought-iron benches, fountains, and other hardware is that they are useful year-round, providing much-needed visual interest and focal points. Rely on sturdy yet beautiful hardscaping to provide a sense of architectural grandness – gothic and antique designs work well. Raised garden beds of galvanized steel also help pave the way, acting as an outline to guide your plants.