Planting & Planning for Winter Interest

   As the temperatures continue their seasonal descent, I would hate for us to lose sight of the beauty still lurking in the Winter landscape! Over the weekend I was helping (in a sous chef kind of capacity) my girlfriend make a live green Christmas wreath for her front door. (see pic below) It was great fun as we tied our bundles of evergreens & chatted away. Her winterberry berries were the crowning glory! This got me thinking about our the plantings in our gardens and the winter interest they may hold...

   Although you may not be planting it, this is the time to plan for it - your winter landscape. Walking around a nursery this time of year is the perfect way to observe what a potential tree or shrub will look like this wonderful time of the year. Most are open selling Christmas trees, wreaths, roping, poinsettias & greens, so walk around! Some of my favorite shrubs are winterberry, firethorn, red twig dogwood, nandina, & cotoneaster. The non-deciduous boxwoods, azaleas & hollies have beautiful foliage too. The evergreen trees like cypress, cedar, white pine, spruce & hemlock are the bones of any landscape & evergreen decorating. Trees with berries like dogwood, holly, chokeberry & serviceberry are a feast for the eyes as well as the birds. (Sorry, yes they will get eaten as some point). Make sure, if you are to purchase in spring or fall, to ask your nursery or do your research on planting trees & shrubs that berry. Many, like the holly & winterberry, require a male & female planted in the same area in order for the flowers/berries to form.

   Now it is time to get creative with your holiday decorating! Even if you don't have the greens to cut on your own property, I am sure you have a friend who does. Another great suggestion that came from my garden club's president, is to buy inexpensive boxwood and pine roping & deconstruct it. You will have plenty of plant material to work with so let your creative juices take you wherever they may go. I started collecting tabletop sleighs at garage sales & I love to stuff them with branches, pinecones (some spray painted silver & gold of course) & picks & lights (see pic below). My fireplace mantel is the traditional favorite with beautiful branches of greens, lights & pinecones. Remember, you can decorate with greens & berried branches all winter long too!

   
   Enjoy being outside this winter, planning your garden & getting creative in your home with your Winter landscape!