Many gardens look bare from late autumn to early spring. But with a few well-chosen plants and some structure, winter can be one of the most atmospheric seasons.
Plan for the view from the windows, since that is how you will see the garden most in winter.
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Evergreen structure
Clipped box alternatives, yew, holly, and evergreen grasses give shape and colour year-round. Use them to frame paths and anchor borders.
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Plants for winter interest
- ✿Colourful stems — dogwood, willow
- ✿Ornamental bark — birch, paperbark maple
- ✿Berries — holly, pyracantha, cotoneaster
- ✿Winter flowers — hellebores, witch hazel, winter jasmine
- ✿Scent — sarcococca, winter honeysuckle, daphne
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Leave seed heads standing
Many perennials and grasses look beautiful when frost settles on them and provide food and shelter for wildlife. Cut them back in late winter instead of autumn.
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Lighting and hard landscaping
Garden lighting picks out sculptural plants on dark evenings. Well-built paths, walls, and seating keep the garden usable and give it bones when growth is low.
This is general landscaping and garden information, not professional advice. Costs, regulations, and plant suitability vary by location. Call before you dig to locate buried utilities, and consult a licensed landscaper or engineer for retaining walls, drainage, and structural work.