Landscaping in Wisconsin is usually associated with spring, summer, and early fall. Many people assume that there’s just not much that can be done to make your lawn look better during winter.
However, your yard doesn’t have to be dreary during the cold months. Here are some ideas to help you get the best looking yard in your neighborhood – even when Jack Frost comes to town. Now granted, you can’t implement a lot of these ideas now but come next spring, summer, or early fall, keep these ideas in mind so your yard can “pop” even when snow is covering everything.
Focus on Winter Berries
Berry plants can provide a bright splash of color during the cold months, and you don’t just have to stick to traditional holly berries, either. Of course, if you like holly there’s no reason to avoid it!
For example, Red Chule Berry produces gorgeous red or golden berries during the winter months. Beautyberry bushes grow in our gardening zone, and they produce purple, lilac and mauve berries.
If you’d love to incorporate some blazing blues into your winter landscape you can try the Sapphireberry plant. Chinese juniper also produces blue berries.
Look for Colorful Grasses and Stems
Several plants develop brightly colored stems in winter. For example, Red Osier Dogwood shrubs turn a brilliant red during the winter months. Their spiky appearance can also provide your yard with a great deal of visual interest.
If you prefer the softer look of a grass you could go with Prairie Bead Grass, which turns a nice rust color. If you’d rather have a bronze look you could go with Foam Flowers.
Don’t Forget Evergreens
Make sure your landscaping incorporates a few evergreen plants. Remember that “green” isn’t your only option for conifers, either, nor do you have to restrict yourself to “trees.”
Bluestem Short Fir, for example, is a pretty coniferous blue shrub that will look nice throughout the year. If you combined them with some Arborvitae you could enjoy both a beautiful mix of evergreen colors and a reduction in your road noise.
Don’t Forget Interest Pieces
Garden sculptures, trellises, and benches can all draw the eye, adding visual appeal and color to your lawn even when the snow is deep. They’re also more of a “sure thing” than plants, since plants can be fickle.
Of course, your fence makes a nice non-living focal point for your landscaping as well, one that makes your yard look more “pulled together” all year round. We even install fences in winter, so you don’t have to worry about going without one if you’ve been putting off this project.
We’ve helped homeowners in Wauwatosa, Brookfield, Waukesha and the rest of the Milwaukee metro area create beautiful fences for their yards. Call us today for a free estimate if you’d like us to help you do the same.
