During this time of the year, nature takes a long, replenishing breath as gardens and gardeners alike slow down. The short days, combined with winter weather, induce dormancy in most plants. Depending on where you live, you may even find evergreen shrubs wrapped in burlap, creating a rustic charm as they protect themselves from the drying winter winds. Lichen and moss work together to fashion an iridescent blanket that sparkles in low-light corners throughout the damp, coastal northwest.
For those contemplating enhancements to their garden or landscape design, now is an opportune moment to reach out to your local landscape designer. During these quieter months, professionals in the field have greater availability to dedicate to planning your project with meticulous care. Engaging with a landscape designer now ensures that as spring unfolds, your garden will transition seamlessly from design to reality, avoiding the rush that comes with the warmer season’s increased demand for landscaping services.
As the leaves fall and winter sets in, plants develop hardiness, accumulating protective compounds within their overwintering foliage, buds, and stems. These compounds, including pigments responsible for the vibrant winter colors, reveal a beautiful side to survival. Look out for the winter hues on red or yellow osier dogwoods, or the bronze-to-purple blush that graces the foliage of some conifers in low temperatures.
In colder zones, a mix of bright berries, colored stems, and a backdrop of conifers present a striking palette. Marvel at the elegant silhouettes of beautifully pruned deciduous trees, especially mesmerizing with a dusting of fresh snow and a wintry backdrop. Keep an eye out for the intriguing patterns that the bark of ponderosa pine and birch add to the winter scenery.
Warmer zones, on the other hand, often play host to plants blooming during this otherwise dormant season. Enjoy the unexpected joy of color and scent as the flower buds of witch hazel, sweet box, winterblooming mahonia and camellias, and Viburnum x bodnantense pierce through winter’s subdued hues with their vibrant and fragrant blooms.
When the spell of winter keeps us indoors, maintain your connection to nature by enjoying the garden’s winter beauty from your window. Cozy up in your favorite chair, surrounded by a pile of garden books and catalogs, and let your mind wander to the new plants and features you would like to introduce to make your winter landscape even more captivating.