On a late-winter day, take a moment to appreciate subtle beauties: shades of green in evergreen needles, interesting peeling bark, dried grasses that sway in a breeze, red berries or crab apples that cling to branches, flower heads that catch snow. Then think about how you can plant this spring for more interest in your garden next winter.
“You don’t have to give your garden five months off every year,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “With some planning, you can make it more attractive even in January and February.”
March is a good time to make those plans. The new season’s growth hasn’t started, so you can still assess your garden’s winter appearance, but planting time is only a couple of months away.
Here are some tips for thinking about how you might give your garden some more winter oomph.
Assess your space. Without the distraction of leaves on the trees and shrubs, it’s easier to see the yard’s basic structure. You may see that it falls into natural sections or spot a place for a winter focal point to attract the eye. Look through your phone for pictures taken during the growing season to help you visualize where there may be space for something new.
Consider your conditions. When it’s time to choose plants, you’ll need to know about the soil type and sun conditions you can offer them, in summer as well as winter.
Plan for all seasons. Look for plants that have something to offer all through the year. For example, oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) has coppery peeling bark that catches the eye in winter, but it also has summer flowers and leaves that turn burgundy in fall.
Think about wildlife. Nothing brightens a garden like the presence of birds and other wildlife, so invite them in. Evergreens offer them shelter and nesting sites. Food sources can include berry-bearing shrubs such as winterberry (Ilex verticillata) and ornamental crab apples that keep their fruit, as well as native grasses and perennials whose seed and flower heads you leave standing. Don’t forget a source of water, such as a birdbath with a heater.
Seek out interesting bark. When leaves are gone, bark stands out. Some shrubs, such as red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) have red or yellow bark. River birch (Betula nigra) is a small to medium-sized tree with peeling bark. American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a medium-sized tree that develops sinewy curves under its smooth bark, giving it the common name of musclewood. These are all native plants, but there are also non-native options such as paperbark maple (Acer griseum), with coppery bark that peels decoratively.
Look for variety in evergreens. Green is welcome in winter, which is why so many yards include evergreen shrubs or trees. Most of those shrubs are of just a few kinds — standard varieties of yew, boxwood, juniper and arborvitae. For more winter interest, seek out cultivated varieties with different shapes and shades of green, perhaps blue-tinged or touched with gold. “There are many cultivars available,” Yiesla said. “Just be sure to read the label carefully to make sure the mature size of the shrub will fit in your space.”
Let dried plants stand. Instead of cutting everything back neatly in fall, leave some dried plants standing for winter interest. Stalks of grasses will wave in the winds, bringing motion to the yard. Seed heads and flower heads on shrubs such as hydrangeas and on perennials such as coneflower will collect snow, adding to the charm of a snowfall. “You can always bundle up and cut them back later in the winter if they start to look tattered,” she said.
For tree and plant advice, see the online resources of The Morton Arboretum at mortonarb.org/plant-care, or submit your questions online at mortonarb.org/plant-clinic or by email to plantclinic@mortonarb.org. Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.
