Create winter interest SPECTACULAR GARDENS
By Susan McMann
OSU Extension
The growing season here in Northeast Ohio is from the end of May to mid-October. That means for several months of the year, the landscape is bare.
However, that does not mean gardens have to be boring. It just means that a change of scenery is in order.
With a little planning, we can have appealing gardens to look at throughout the winter.
The best time for us to assess our landscapes is when it is covered with snow. Winter allows us to see the “bare bones” or underlying structure of our gardens.
Structure is what gives our gardens year-round interest. Assess what catches the eye. Assess if the trees and shrubs are planted in a line. Are there empty spots? Are there berries on trees or shrubs?
Carefully examine the landscape and determine where plants can be added to create four-season interest.
With careful selection of plants, a few changes or additions, it’s possible to make winter a season of natural beauty in our gardens.
Since many flowering plants are dormant in the winter, much of our garden’s interest comes from plants with striking shapes, forms, textures and colors.
Some plants to consider for winter gardens:
Evergreen trees are a good choice for gardens in snowy Northeast Ohio. Conifers add beauty, shape, texture and impact. Many sizes and shapes of evergreens are available, with foliage in different shades of green, gold, blue, purple and white.
Bark of trees and shrubs, with varying patterns, textures and colors, can be appreciated in our snowy gardens. For example, some deciduous trees, such as the river birch, lose their leaves, but have interesting features without the foliage. Indeed, the river birch has an exfoliating bark and highly convoluted branching habits which make it striking in winter gardens. Another example, is Harry Lauder’s walking stick. This plant, with its twisting, spiraling, corkscrew branches is more interesting in the winter when its leaves have fallen.
Woody plants, including some dogwoods (red twig and blood twig), have brightly colored stems, especially in the late winter through early spring.
A large grouping of multi-stemmed deciduous shrubs with colorful red stems makes a dramatic statement in winter gardens.
Perennials such as the purple coneflower and others with large seed heads provide texture and are very striking against a white backdrop of snow.
Plants with colorful berries or fruits, including holly, chokeberry, viburnum, crabapple and certain varieties of roses that produce hips can add interest to winter gardens.
With careful selection of plants that provide striking shapes, forms, textures and colors it’s possible to make winter a season of natural beauty. It might even help us see our coldest months in a new way and enjoy the beauty of winter gardens.
For more ideas and plants to consider for your garden, visit http://go.osu.edu/interestallwinter.