Winter Interest in the Landscape

Often times as landscape designers we get caught up in the season and all of the colorful flowering plants that bloom during the spring, summer, and fall seasons.  Our clients ask for all of the latest and greatest trends in annuals and perennials that they have seen on-line or at the local garden center.  While these plants create the punch and seasonal interest that really make a garden pop, we can not forget the structural plants that give the garden its character all year long.  The evergreens from uprights to groundcovers provide that constant color and unwavering sturdiness.  These plants act as foundation plantings during the season covering ugly concrete and screening undesirable views.  But in the winter months these are the plants that put on the show.  They provide the varying shades of green when there is an absence of other color.  The different shapes and sizes can contrast each other and provide interest when all of the blooms have faded.  Not to mention the beautiful display they provide after a newly fallen snow.  The snow blankets the upward edges of this green garden architecture and actually adds to the contrast and interest of the garden.  The snow scenes can be just as beautiful as the summer blooms when gazed upon by an affectionate observer.  Evergreens make up some of my favorite plant varieties and I do love the statement that they make both during the season and winter months.  Without these plants it would be difficult to truly create a functional and everlasting landscape.  There are also a few plants that may not be considered classical evergreens that can continue to have showy effects in this season.  The ever-red heavenly bamboo, the deciduous holly, and some crab apples with their subtle accents can provide winter interest as well.  When designing our gardens we must simply not forget about the winter.  Just because it is cold and sometimes dreary doesn’t mean that we can not find beauty in our gardens.  Below are some photos from my garden. 

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