Ah, winter! Nothing to look forward to but a barren landscape of frozen white fields, right? Wrong! You can change your winter outlook by looking forward to the change of seasons and by planning a winter garden.

And you don't even need to live in a year-long warm weather clime to do it.

"The trouble with winter is that it lasts too long," says Tovah Martin, a correspondent for Yankee Magazine. "We don't mind the fact of winter, but a spate of several solid months filled with frozen ground and nothing to ponder but slumbering beds can make gardeners a little antsy."

When considering winter, you need to think ahead. Concentrate on the ‘bones' of your garden for winter. This usually means trees, shrubs, and other plants that take on more of a pronounced visual cue. Think geometry, for this is what will be most predominant in the basically foliage-less winter months-when the palette is mainly black on white.

Pick trees with beautiful lines and branches that look good during the warm months as well as the winter months. Some varieties include evergreens, of course, and ornamentals such as Crap Apple, which look good during all four seasons, blooming in the spring, green in the summer and fall, and displaying beautifully formed branches during the winter months.

Shrubs provide shorter, stouter forms against the backdrop of trees. Many of these also produce berries of various colors. Red berries in winter add a splash of color against a snowy backdrop, and white or pink can be intriguing as well. Hollies, especially the American Holly, look lovely with glossy green leaves during winter.

Rock forms of course should not be overlooked. They can add visual interest to an otherwise flat lawn when everything is covered with snow. Lining paths or garden areas around your home can add geometrical interest of varying planes throughout the seasons.

Planting Witch Hazel, which gives off a clean, crisp scent even in the cold winter air, is also a great idea for those who live in frigid regions.

The Winter Garden in Warmer Climes: Variety for the Season

Some among us-and you know who you are-are lucky enough to live in warmer climates, where they enjoy warm temperatures throughout the year.

For them, winter gardening allows them to take on a new look in the garden, with plant species that are more adapted to cool weather.

Popular Options-Vegetables

Something that needs to be recognized first off is that crops simply do little or no growing during the coldest parts of winter-no matter where you are. So, to be able to harvest over the winter, you need to have quite a few plants of harvestable size before the colder weather.

Some of the best winter vegetables include Kale, spinach, mustard greens, and collards. Not only are they nutritious, but they can also be picked all winter long. You must plant more plants over a greater amount of space than most garden plants. You must also be aware of your particular soil and precipitation area, in order for winter gardening to a success, and cater to the plants needs during the winter more so than in the spring, summer or fall.

Some crops that grow beautifully in the fall will not survive our winter-this is a fact. Lettuce is one that needs extra protection. Safer plants are radishes, turnips and green onions or scallions. Winter gardening takes careful planning. Most crops need to be in the ground and actively growing by early fall in order to have a chance of being harvested in winter.

So, to all you warm climate gardeners who can have the luxury of your favorite activity year round-why not try winter gardening?