Winter Gardens
There was a time when gardening in late fall meant raking leaves, cutting back perennials, wrapping trees in burlap and putting the garden to bed. Gardeners then retreated indoors to sit by the fire and read gardening catalogues.
No longer. There are so many plants with winter interest it is not necessary to stare at a barren landscape for five months of the year. While the summer garden is all about lushness and a riot of colour, the winter garden is a place of peacefulness and calm.
The months of January and February are the best time to plan your winter garden. Concentrate on the entrance to your home and the view you see from your windows. View these areas with a critical eye assessing what looks attractive and what could be improved.
A good source of ideas is to walk or drive around your neighborhood. What do you see that is growing well and looks good? If you see a plant you like but can’t identify, take a picture and consult a Northumberland Master Gardener. (nmg13@hotmail.ca). They may be able to help.
Conifers with their variety of shapes, sizes and colours are certainly the stars of the winter garden. Look for new introductions with coloured cones and bright yellow winter foliage. Evergreens such as yews and boxwood remain green all winter and can be pruned and shaped as desired.
Deciduous trees and shrubs add beauty to the winter garden as well. They often have fascinating shapes, coloured branches, unusual bark, persistent seed heads and bright berries. Weeping trees are particularly attractive.
More difficult to choose but just as important are perennials and ornamental grasses. Their location and conditions in your garden will determine their suitability for winter interest. Generally, native species and those grown in lean soil will grow shorter and sturdier stems and hold up better to winter snow and wind. Instead of cutting back perennials in fall leave some to see how they look in winter.
While sitting by the fire and dreaming of next summer is very enjoyable, looking out your window and seeing attractive branches and interesting seed heads dusted with snow will brighten any cold wintry day.
In a future post I will describe some specific plants you may want to consider for your garden.