You might think that once the winter arrives, your winter landscaping opportunities are no more. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the following tips, you can add some color and beauty to your yard during the winter months. Getting the most out of your landscape will take some planning throughout the year. Here are some things you can do.
Get Ready
It is probably a tad late to pull these steps off this year, but in the future doing these things before the snow flies can make a big difference for your winter landscaping.
Getting Your Lawn Ready
There are a few things that you can do to help your lawn be able to recover quicker from the cold and snow of winter.
- Rake and remove your leaves and other debris from the yard. If these items are left covering your grass all through the winter, it can make it difficult for the new grass to grow in the spring.
- Cut the grass one last time at the end of the fall season. This time cut it about an inch shorter than your normal height. This will reduce your chances of unwanted pests making a home in your grass during the winter months.
- Before the first freeze of the year arrives, it is a good idea to have your lawn aerated and fertilized. It may seem like a waste to use fertilizer right before the snow flies but your lawn should be able to make use of the nutrients in the fertilizer once the weather warms up in the spring.
Getting Your Trees And Shrubs Ready
- Use mulch around your trees and other plants to give them some extra protection during the winter. This also helps to guard against erosion and keeps moisture in. Use a two-inch layer.
- The end of the season is a good time to do some pruning for your plants that need it. When you do it this late in the season, it leaves a fresh wound exposed for a short amount of time before some new growth can come in.
- Try using anti-transpirants on your vegetation to minimize the effects of water loss. This works especially well on evergreens.
- If you are expecting to have periods of heavy snow and ice, you can help your trees handle this by identifying branches that may be hampered by this extra weight and tying them together. You might even want to remove some limbs that you think will break because a tree that is damaged in this manner is susceptible to disease. It may be worth sacrificing a limb or two for the overall well-being of the tree.
Use Evergreens
Evergreens are a great choice for a winter landscape. Did you know that evergreens come in others besides green? It’s true. You can get them in blue, yellow, and more in addition to green. Evergreens can be a great focal point for your landscape all through the year and especially in the wintertime.
Use Bark
Trees lose their leaves in the wintertime, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It just means that the branches and tree trunk becomes the focus of the landscape. The good news is that many of the options are on the smaller side. This means that it is easier to find a spot for them in your landscape. Choose something like a dogwood or birch tree and you will have some nice texture and color to add to the white and grey of winter.
Use Berries
There are plenty of trees and shrubs for you to choose from that will keep their berries through the fall and winter. Not only do these add color to your landscape, but they can also attract birds or other creatures.
Use Perennials
Ornamental grasses, dianthus and plenty of other perennials have evergreen foliage. That makes them a wonderful choice if you want something to look good during the winter. You can usually find out on the plant label if it is going to have helpful foliage in the winter.
Use Your Hardscape
If you want to truly examine your landscape, winter can be a great time to do so. This is when you can figure out when you should add or change the focal points. You might even find that what is missing is not a plant, but something like a bench or sculpture.
Use Containers
If you have containers that can last in the winter — hanging baskets, window boxes, etc — you can make use of them. They are perfect for broadleaf evergreens and similar plants. Just don’t forget to give them some water during the cold dry spells. It really doesn’t matter what you put in it — as long as it is something with color.
Spring Falls Landscaping
Your property can be an emotional expression of oneself through the use of flowers, plants, trees and more along with architectural and structural embellishments. This doesn’t have to change just because there is snow on the ground. We’re here to help you create the landscape design you’ve been dreaming of — for any season. During the winter, we also offer Christmas light installation and snow removal. Contact us today to get your project started or schedule a free consultation. We proudly serve the following communities: Idaho Falls, Ammon, Rexburg, Rigby, St. Anthony, Island Park, Blackfoot, Shelley, Victor Driggs, Pocatello, Jackson Hole, WY, and other surrounding areas in the greater Eastern Idaho.
