Category: Landscaper Tips

Winter Landscapes

Winter doesn’t have to be the season when outdoor spaces are abandoned until spring. With the right mix of plants, design, and seasonal accents, your winter landscapes can remain welcoming, functional, and even festive during the coldest months.

Add Warmth with Structure and Lighting

Garden Structures: Arbors, trellises, benches, and stone walls stand out more when leaves are gone. Highlighting them with evergreens adds balance and focus.

Outdoor Lighting: Soft, low-voltage lighting along paths or uplighting evergreens brings warmth and dimension to long winter nights.

Fire Elements: Fire pits or outdoor fireplaces create cozy gathering spots even in cold weather.

Seasonal Containers for Winter Landscapes

Don’t let planters sit empty all winter. Fill them with:

Evergreen boughs (pine, cedar, holly)

Red twig dogwood stems for color

Winterberry branches for festive berries

Pinecones for texture

A few accents can transform a front entrance or patio into a winter focal point.

Plants That Shine in Snow

Certain plants look even better dusted with frost or snow:

Ornamental Grasses – seed heads catch ice crystals beautifully.

Evergreens – hold structure under snow, creating a postcard look.

Birches and Dogwoods – bark and stems stand out dramatically against white backdrops.

Wildlife-Friendly Accents

Invite life into your winter landscapes by adding:

Bird Feeders & Houses: Support overwintering songbirds.

Berry Plants: Winterberry, holly, and crabapple provide natural food.

Water Sources: A heated birdbath prevents ice-over and attracts wildlife.

Practical Comfort Additions

Winter landscapes can be both inviting and functional with thoughtful design choices. Placing sturdy benches near evergreen hedges creates sheltered sitting areas that offer protection from cold winds while still allowing enjoyment of the season. Adding windbreak plantings such as Thuja ‘Green Giant’ or holly around patios helps block harsh winter gusts and adds year-round structure to the landscape. Incorporating hardscapes like stone paths or pavers ensures safe, clear access when grass is dormant, making outdoor spaces usable and visually appealing even in the colder months.

A well-designed landscape shouldn’t fade into the background when temperatures drop. Winter is the perfect time to highlight structure, bark, berries, and evergreen foliage. By choosing interesting winter plants that shine in the colder months, you can keep your garden attractive year-round.

Why Focus on Winter Interest?

Interesting winter plants bring a unique dimension to the landscape, blending beauty with purpose. By combining vibrant color, distinctive structure, and ecological value, these plants ensure your garden remains engaging and alive even in the quiet months. They offer visual warmth, architectural appeal, and essential support for wildlife when nature’s palette is at its most subdued. A few main highlights include:

Seasonal Color: Bright berries and stems add contrast to snowy or bare backdrops.

Structure: Plants with striking bark or strong form bring beauty when leaves are gone.

Wildlife Value: Winter berries provide food for birds and pollinators benefit from early bloomers.

Top Interesting Winter Plants

Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Famed for its vivid red stems, this shrub stands out against snow or muted winter landscapes. Pruning older stems encourages fresh, brightest-colored growth.

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)
One of the earliest bloomers, witch hazel produces fragrant yellow to copper flowers from late winter into early spring. It’s a standout when little else is in bloom.

Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)
A deciduous holly that drops its leaves but leaves behind masses of bright red berries. Birds love the fruit, and it creates a festive display in the landscape.

Ornamental Grasses (Miscanthus, Panicum, Calamagrostis)
Tall grasses retain their seed heads and structure through winter, catching frost and snow for a dramatic effect.

Camellia (Zones 7–9)
Depending on the variety, camellias bloom in fall, winter, or early spring, offering glossy evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers when color is most needed.

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum)
This small ornamental tree has rich cinnamon-colored, exfoliating bark that peels in curls, providing striking texture all winter long.

Evergreen Favorites (Holly, Boxwood, Cryptomeria, Thuja)
Broadleaf and conifer evergreens provide the backbone of winter structure, keeping landscapes green when everything else is bare.

Design Tips for Interesting Winter Plants

Contrast is Key: Place red-twig dogwood near evergreens to make the stems pop.

Think Layers: Combine tall evergreens with mid-height shrubs and ground covers for year-round depth.

Use Structure: Choose plants with unique forms or bark to anchor the landscape.

Plan for Wildlife: Select berry-producing shrubs to support birds in cold months.

Final Thoughts

Winter doesn’t have to be dull in the garden. With plants like witch hazel, red twig dogwood, and evergreen mainstays, you can design a landscape with interesting winter plants that’s full of color, structure, and life—even in the coldest months.