For gardeners and lovers of landscaping, the winter months are when both gardeners and plants are taking a much needed rest. While it’s cold and dreary outside, plants have gone dormant losing their leaves and don’t produce new growth or flowers. At this time you can see that there is a variety of winter interest throughout the landscape.
Winter landscapes draw attention to some of the more subtle elements of a landscape such as textures and form.
Snow offers a great opportunity for contrast to heighten these elements allowing any colored berries on plants to standout. Winter berry, Ilex Verticillata, is a favorite as its red berries stand out against the white snow. This is when this plant has its greatest show.
Many crabapples hold onto their fruit in the winter providing food for birds while also adding a bit of color.
The pealing bark of river birch also shows lots of texture and interest in the winter. White birch has exfoliating bark but isn’t as hardy or common as River Birch.
There are lots of different grass plants whose growth habit is accentuated as well. Landscape Architects and designers take into consideration the winter forms of the plants when designing a landscape allowing gardens to be enjoyed throughout the seasons.