Winter time landscaping around a home, or a few feet from a home, helps to minimize the cold drafts and/or possible harsh winds of a winter storm. While that is a huge plus for any homeowner the additional benefit of a winter landscape is the touch of color. Most people design and build their landscape for Spring, Summer and Fall but they forget about the winter landscape. Your landscape will go from gorgeous to several months of basically nothing.
Plant a Tree
Berry trees have deep red or even orange berries that feed the winter birds and other animals. Of course the majority of the berry trees produce during the winter which is why they are included on the list. Anything in the hawthorne family, a.k.a. holly trees, would be a berry tree. Yet another tree that stays vibrant during the Winter months from early to late autumn, is an apple tree.
Grasses
Ornamental grasses are excellent for the winter garden, there is a huge variety to choose from. Here are a few that have good winter interest Purple Silver Grass, Little Kitten Maiden Grass and Cabaret Japanese Silver Grass.
Install a Water Feature
Unfortunately, water fountains have to be de-activated in the Winter, so installing an in-ground water feature will give interest thougout the whole year. Whether it is filled with water or maybe it is has a dry creek bed, a water feature will add interest to your landscaping garden in the winter and year round as well. Goldfish will hibernate through the winter if given a depth of three feet to sustain them during the freezing time. It is also a good time to think about a lawn irrigation system.
Structures:
Gazebos, Benches, Arbors, Pergolas, Statues, Birdbaths, and Bridges are good to add a visual interest to your Winter landscape. A large rock or boulder as well as a rock garden are also good ideas to add to your landscape.
Evergreen Tree or Bush
Most often, the evergreen is thought of as a pine and spruce tree. These sturdy trees will typically survive any harsh drought conditions and also weather the cold winter conditions with ease.. Another evergreen though (largely forgotten) the ivy. An Ivy plant can be trained to grow wherever you want it to flourish. The ivy provides great ground cover and green touch to a winter landscape.
Plants
Right up until the first harsh freeze of the season, the oak leaf hydrangea is largely vibrant as apart of the winter landscape. The plant is not blooming any longer during the winter season; however, the stalks of the oak leaf hydrangea start to look like that of the paper bark from a maple tree giving the winter landscape a different look.
Plant Vegetables
Yes, you can plant vegetables during the early part of the Winter months inside and outside. Apparently, the best time broccoli, cauliflower, and beetroot is right before the first frost/freeze. This will allow Mother Nature to do her thing in nurturing the seeds for a good crop in early spring.
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