How To Create Year Round Beauty In Your Garden

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By Bob Ewing


summer beauty

credit/gargoylesoftware/flickr
credit/gargoylesoftware/flickr

redwood dogwood

photo courtesy/Noel Lee/flickr
photo courtesy/Noel Lee/flickr

plan for winter


The successful garden is one that provides us with something to look at all year around, regardless of the weather. In fact, proper plant choices and placement can transform your snow filled backyard into a winter paradise for you and the other beings that live nearby.

A well placed berry bush can provide season round beauty and food for the songbirds who visit in the Spring and Fall; it can also help sustain those birds that spend the winter with us.


I advise people that when they are planning their garden they give thought to all four seasons, just because winters can be long and cold does not mean that you should ignore your plant choices for that season. Just as you plan for a succession of colour throughout the growing season do not forget the snow covered months.

The seed heads of ornamental grasses, for example are not only attractive to look at, especially when covered with snow or ice but also provide food for the winter birds.

Ornamental grasses can complement your birdfeeder when it comes to attracting birds to your yard. Ornamental grasses will not take over your garden and are relatively simple to care for. They may need to be cut back in the spring.

If you have a small yard, you can use ornamental grass as a center piece or you can select one of my favourite shrubs the red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea). The dogwoods red branches look great against the white of winter’s snowfall.


Dogwoods are very valuable to both wildlife and humans. The branches will provide shelter for many species. The dogwood flowers provide nectar to pollinating insects and then become fruit that is sought after by birds and mammals. So as well as looking great they enhance your backyard as a wildlife habitat.

While there is almost no gardening work that needs to be done during winter you can still enjoy the garden and reap the benefits of the work that you did in the months before.


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winter grasses


ornamental grass in winter

credit/ sleestak66/flickr
credit/ sleestak66/flickr

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funride profile image

funride  says:
2 years ago

Nice hub! I have the fortune of living in Portugal where the winter is not that cold and plants have enough sun all year around.

Ok, I´ll be fair! It´s my wife who takes care of the garden... ihhihihihi

Bob Ewing profile image

Bob Ewing  says:
2 years ago

all year round gardening that sounds wonderful. :-)

Dottie1 profile image

Dottie1  says:
2 years ago

The ornamental grass in winter is what my yard looks like right now. Our 3rd snow storm of the month is on its way tonight and everything looks so white and fresh and clean. It's beginning to look alot like Christmas around here in New England.

Bob Ewing profile image

Bob Ewing  says:
2 years ago

We just dug out from our 3rd snow storm as well . this is going to be a very very white Christmas.

Zsuzsy Bee profile image

Zsuzsy Bee  says:
2 years ago

Great HUB! Bob! My yard always looks sad in the winter.Thats what I'll be working on in my next years plan.

regards Zsuzsy

Eileen Hughes profile image

Eileen Hughes  says:
2 years ago

Great hub with good ideas, but I too busy trying to look after summer now to get into winter. But I will take another look in couple of months

Bob Ewing profile image

Bob Ewing  says:
2 years ago

every season has its turn, thanks Eileen, happy gardening

cgull8m profile image

cgull8m  says:
2 years ago

Here we hardly get snow but its wintry, all the trees and plants are dormant. I will keep this Berry Bush in mind for future, there are plenty of songbirds here. Thanks.

caspar profile image

caspar  says:
2 years ago

Thanks for the info and great ideas. I don't have any ornamental grasses at the moment, but plenty of berries to keep the birds happy - it's freezing cold here but no snow yet.

Bob Ewing profile image

Bob Ewing  says:
2 years ago

Berries will keep the birds singing.

Mikaella  says:
2 years ago

This hub article sounds great and the idea of a year round garden is exciting. This means more variety, more colour, more flowers....the thought is only so pleasing, i wonder how wonderful it will look.

Mikaella

Umardin  says:
5 months ago

Great post, I think is a new Idea, I like it

Bob Ewing profile image

Bob Ewing  says:
5 months ago

Thank you for dropping by.

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