Many homeowners take full advantage of the beautiful spring
and summer months in their gardens, creating beautiful and colorful landscapes
surrounding their homes. However, many
homeowners miss the opportunities to add visual interest to the landscape in
the fall and winter. What many don’t
realize is that there are numerous ways to keep your gardens active throughout
the year, even in the dead of winter.
The reality is that most homeowners spend more time at home
during the fall and winter months and they have more opportunity to examine
their surroundings. This can lead to
lists of home improvement projects
to start in the spring but it can also lead to disappointment in the drab exterior
of the house. The grass is no longer a
bright and vibrant green, the plants have browned and the outside of the house
seems gloomy. What can be done? Is there a remedy to help the drab feel of
the yard and garden in the winter? The
answer is yes, there are ways to make the yard more appealing during the colder
months. With trees, landscaping and
other elements a homeowner has the opportunity to create focal points in the
yard that will help eliminate the sense of winter drab.
Think about which rooms of the house you spend the majority
of your time in during the colder months and which windows you are looking out
the most. It might surprise you how
adding a couple of trees or shrubs, that are zone-appropriate, can change the
look and feel of the landscape.
Along with adding trees and shrubs to the landscape consider
these other opportunities to keep your yard looking good in the fall and
winter:
If you want to keep a thick, full lawn year round then plant
rye grass, bluegrass or another type of northern grass that will endure the
harsh colder months of the year.
The right variety of ornamental grass will add a splash of
color to a winter garden. Indiangrass,
Gulf Muhly and Little Bluestem are ornamental grasses that are easy to grow and
do not require much fertilization. Their
shoots add an accent to the landscape year round and offer lovely color against
a stark winter landscape.
Visit your local garden center and ask about which plants
thrive in the winter months. Euryops
Pectinatus is an evergreen that offers bright yellow flowers that bloom year
round, including the winter. Crocus,
Snowdrops, Witch
Hazel, Christmas
Roses, Winter
Jasmine, Manzanita, Poinsettias and Pansies are all flowers that typically bloom
throughout the fall and winter months. Scaevola
is a rich colored groundcover with purple flowers which usually bloom from
January through November.
Hollies are a type of evergreen that comes in many varieties
including groundcover and bushes.
Hollies have deep green foliage and bright red berries making them a
great choice for the winter landscape.
Garden sculptures, arbors, gazebos, benches, stone walls,
crack-resistant planters and landscape lighting are all yard accessories that
can help draw attention when the colorful flowers are done for the season.
A brightly colored planter with a small pine or evergreen
tree will add a splash of color to a deck or patio. Brightly painted outdoor furniture can add a
bit of playful color to your patio or garden as well.
Outdoor living spaces are a popular home addition these
days. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit
can not only add a focal point to the yard but can be a cozy place to spend
time with friends and family on crisp fall evenings.
Your winter garden can take on a whole new look when you add
color, focal points and style to your outdoor space.
Authors Bio:
Authors Bio:
Jennifer Couch has over 5 years of
writing experience with various blogs. As a mother of 2 boys and a
previous Language Arts teacher, Jennifer certainly puts her creative energy to
good use. She has spent the past several years researching and writing on
a variety of topics from Vincent van Gogh to the health benefits of fruit
including one that’s near and dear to her heart, home improvement. In
addition, Pinterest has become a great source of experimental inspiration in
trying to create a dream home for
her family.
