As organisms big and small begin their hibernation for the winter, your landscaping can start to look a bit dreary. You may be inclined to take this season off from tending to the look of your yard, but the winter months give many opportunities to amp up your landscaping prowess. Incorporate these elements into your yard’s landscaping and your home will be the natural star of the neighborhood.
Focus On The Bark
The toughest obstacle of winter landscaping is the fact that most trees will stubbornly shed their leaves every year, and that means you’ve likely lost the most decorative part of your yard. When you choose trees with eye-catching bark patterns, like the Lacebark Elm, you’re guaranteed an interesting landscaping choice no matter the time of year. The trunk and branches of this elm are covered in a flaky bark with many shades of tans, reds, and grays. This variety of color gives your winter landscaping a soft, mottled look.
Be Bold With Color
As snow starts to blanket the outside world, a pop of color in your landscaping will really stand out. Many varieties of deciduous trees and shrubs offer color, texture, and structure. Red-twig dogwoods have a beautiful red bark in the winter. Japanese maples are also stunning in winter landscapes, with colorful foliage, lacy leaves, and architectural branches. If you choose to incorporate these trees into your winter landscape, you’ll be providing foliage for the rest of the year as well. It can take anywhere between 40 and 60 years for the majority of hardwood trees, which includes deciduous, to fully mature.
Lean In To The Evergreens
Evergreen trees and conifers are the classic foliage choice for winter landscaping, and there’s good reason for that. Most obviously, they don’t have leaves that shed and they keep their vibrant green needles year round. And when snow sits on those needles, you have the perfect winter scene in your yard. If you decide to plant these seasonal conifers, keep in mind that they should be planted up to 20 feet apart with up to 30 feet between rows, as they will grow and spread. Within conifer varieties, you have plenty of choice in size and variety. Pine, spruce, yew, and hemlock all offer a different landscaping look when you fit them around your home’s borders and foundation. When you choose a cedar tree as your conifer, you’ll be getting great architectural structure and can pick from a variety of species, including juniper, arborvitae, and deodar.
Your winter landscaping can be picture perfect with a few smart tree choices. Make sure you think about the balance of color and interest in the overall landscaping, and make bold choices to last you through the winter!
