Keep a Bright and Festive Landscape – Even in the Winter!

It’s getting closer and closer to winter time, and if you’re a dedicated gardener, you no doubt are getting cold feet. Plants are at a standstill and their bright colors vanish, leaving only white and grey for you to take in. Some gardeners may think winter is just their off season. With nothing to plant, it’s just an extended vacation from gardening, right?

Actually, there are definitely some things you can do to brighten up your garden, even in the winter. Here are some of our tips to keep your winter landscape shining.

1. Bark, bark, and more bark.

Deciduous trees are going to lose their leaves in the wintertime, leaving branches and trunks in full view, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Consider looking for visually unique bark that can be accented amidst all the white and grey. Smaller trees and shrubs are easier for finding spots of great texture and color.

2. Look to the berries.

There are many trees and shrubs that can hold berries during fall and winter and can provide just the right touch amidst all of that grey and snow. Crabapples hold fruit and make a great addition to any winter garden and landscape. Let’s not forget about holly with berries, too!

3. Utilize evergreens!

As the name entails, evergreen trees can provide plenty of color in a winter landscape. And you’re not just limited to green! Different trees are available in yellows and blues with everything in between. Evergreens make good design sense, too. They are vital for a winter landscape because of their ability to be focal points in a landscape. One or two evergreens that serve as anchors for a border on your landscape is always a good idea.

4. Make use of your summertime fixtures.

Hanging baskets, window boxes, wheelbarrows, winter-tough containers: All of these can be utilized for beautiful winter landscaping. You don’t need to spend money on plants to fill these with either. Evergreen boughs of different textures and colors make great centerpieces, as well as anything with color in it.

5. Use four-season perennials.

Many perennials have evergreen foliage – ornamental grass, hellebores, dianthus that features low-creeping foliage – which make them great for winter landscapes. Be sure to read the labels on the plant to ensure there’s foliage in the winter.