Plant Talk |
CAUTION:The information and recommendations in this article are applicable to Harnett County, NC and may not apply in other areas.
THE ATTRACTIVE WINTER GARDEN, 01/31/97
Do images of spring flowers drift through your mind each night before you fall asleep? Do you spend countless hours leafing through seed catalogs planning your spring garden? These may be signs of what might be called the "winter garden blues". If your yard is like mine, it looks pretty dreary and lifeless right now. But in the spirit of eternal optimism, here are some ideas to turn a problem into an opportunity.
The idea here is to create "winter interest" in your landscape. This is the concept of using texture, color, and form to create an appealing landscape look even in the dead of winter. Impossible, you say, in the depths of your blues? Consider these ideas.
Ornamental grasses are an easy example. Their interesting plumage adds appeal to the garden long after the roses have stopped blooming.
Evergreen trees and shrubs are another great addition to any landscape. But they can be used for more than just adding a touch of green to the yard. Select plants with a variety of forms, shapes, and leaf textures. Contrast the graceful pyramidal shape of the deodar cedar or leland cypress with the leaf shape and form of the boxwoods or hollies.
And winter landscapes need not be devoid of color. Have you noticed the beautiful red-orange foliage of the nandina? Add a touch of yellow with the variegated leaves of the aucuba. Plants with berries can also add striking color. What could be more attractive than the bright red fall berries provided by a holly or pyracantha.
A variety of groundcovers can also be utilized to add winter interest. Plant several varieties of junipers, for example, to provide different shades of green. Contrast them with the texture of ivy. Creeping variegated euonymous adds yet another color and texture to the landscape, with its silver-white variegation.
Another way to add beauty to the winter landscape is through the use of trees with interesting shapes and bark textures. The crape myrtle, for example, displays striking bark and a graceful form. The birch tree is another example. To achieve the best effect, these tree should be grown in a multi-stem form, and given sufficient room to grow with minimal pruning.
Specimen plants that look beautiful year round will also make your yard stand out from the pack. A specimen plant is planted alone in a prominent location so that it will attract attention. Possibilities include the deodar cedar, "Nellie R. Stevens" holly, and sasanqua camellia.
Whether you are planning a new landscape, or improving an existing one, the key is to put some thought into how it will look in winter. And now is the perfect time to look at your yard and consider the possibilities.
If all the plant names listed above are a foreign language, you might want to take a trip to the NCSU Arboretum. It is located at the Horticultural Field Lab on Beryl Road in Raleigh (near the fairgrounds). The Arboretum, where "something is always in bloom," contains a phenomenal collection of plants, many of which are labelled. Visit sometime soon to see what looks good in the winter. Feel free to call me for directions. I will also be happy to provide you with brochures to help you with landscape plant selection. Back to Plant Talk Index
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