Just because Old Man Winter is here doesn’t mean that your garden can’t be beautiful! In fact, winter gardens can provide their own special kind of magic and wonder, seamlessly taking you on a visually appealing journey from fiery fall to gentle spring. Follow these tips to make your winter garden as gorgeous as it can be.
Create a solid layout
As summer’s blooms die back, they reveal the bones of your garden. If your garden has not been laid out properly, you’ll easily notice it in the winter without flowers and leaves to obstruct your view. Structure can be added to your garden with paths, raised beds, hedges, walls and trees. If the bareness of the season reveals your garden is in need of structural changes, take the time to make a plan before spring arrives.
Choose seasonal colors
Even gardens in harsh winter climates can benefit from some seasonal color, which can be accomplished with hardy plants and flowers suitable to the climate. Not only should you consider what your garden will look like in full bloom, think about how you can add some varieties that will give you the biggest bang in the colder months. When choosing what to plant, keep in mind their structure, texture, evergreen foliage and stem color, which can go a long way towards adding visual interest when temperatures drop below freezing.
Build warmth
Nothing beats a warm fire on a cold day, and you can extend the life of your garden by building an inexpensive fire pit or installing a patio heater or chimineas. Bundle up and head outside with a thermos of hot chocolate and some marshmallows for toasting while you relax in the quiet that only a winter garden can provide.
Decorate
Every garden can benefit from a little decoration, and that’s even truer for a winter garden. To make your garden come to life during its most dormant time of year, consider draping twinkle lights and hanging ornaments in the trees, installing some pretty bird houses, hanging wreaths from windows and doors, tying ribbons to fence posts or even adding a dramatic sculpture as the centerpiece for your garden.
Use colorful containers
Another way to add visual interest to your garden in winter months is to use colorful containers for your plants and flowers. Strategically place them in garden beds, on patios or near doorways to help provide focal points, even if the pot is empty for the season. Better yet, fill your containers with plants that can stand up to the harsh weather, such as small evergreens or ornamental grasses that keep their shape even as they die back.
Attract migratory and native birds
There is nothing quite as exciting as seeing a bright red cardinal against a snowy backdrop, and while not all climates can attract this beautiful bird, you can certainly invite other equally stunning native or migratory species to your yard. Set out various types of bird food around your yard to see what kinds of birds will come calling. Many a snowy afternoon can be spent gazing out a window at all your new, feathered friends flocking to your feeders.
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