As @GardenerSuze, @newbie77 and @nutcutlet have said above, a garden can look less desolate in winter with evergreens and silhouettes of trees and shrubs and unpruned perennials. I leave as much as possible on show until it starts to disintegrate and blow about everywhere! Clearing up leaves on a lawn and scattering seeds for the birds can also make the prospect more cheerful. Even frost and snow can be a welcome sight (as long as it's not for too long!).
@Plantminded That is beautiful still plenty of places to grow things in the coming months. When the grasses are cut back in February bulbs such as narcissus and then tulips are ready to fill the gaps.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I'm currently looking out of my front window onto my OH's pots of Pansies, Violas & Wallflowers - all in flower in the alcove. The wallflowers are fragrant too. Further out into the open garden the Calamagrostis stems are still standing proudly upright and the tassles on my new Miscanthus are wafting about in the breeze. My Stipa gigantea is looking a bit tatty now but still gives structure with its faded 5' stems. Further over by the drive is where the gorgeous scent of the winter honeysuckle grabs you.
It's not spring or late summer but there's still some interest in the garden.
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Thank you, that's very kind. You're right @GardenerSuze, there's a group of tulips in that snowy bit ready to serenade spring! I'm sure your grasses are still looking good @LunarSea. @CrankyYankee, how are you faring weather wise at the moment? I hope the forecast I heard this morning keeps away from your area!
@Plantminded it's a little scary right now, but we'll get through it. I don't know how this crazy cycle of weather is going to affect the plants in my holding beds, though. I'll be interested to see what survives and what doesn't.
@trevor.biggins I have a plot prepared for my wildflower meadow that I'll plant in the spring, I can't wait! It's something I've never done before.
New England, USA
Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
Your garden sounds lovely @GardenerSuze. I'm not quite so disciplined with purchases - but I'm getting a lot better. Yours looks fabulous @Plantminded - lots of interesting form and structure.
My garden is relatively new (between 8 and 11 years old depending which area) and for the first few years I kept thinking I'd made schoolgirl errors because it didn't look (at least) passable over winter.
The last 3 or 4 years, however, plants have matured and clumped up and it has all started to work. The topiarised box (there was a lot more before blight and the caterpillars got to work!) and yew and the coloured cornuses have now reached a size where they provide winter interest. Similarly the evergreens are now sufficiently mature to give the structure I was hoping for. A 'big' birthday a couple of years ago provided some gorgeous large metal ornamental obelisks which support roses and clematis in summer but are real features in the winter garden.
Most years the 5 crab apple trees provide lots of colour through to the end of January. The recent cold snap meant there was additional colour this year in the form of blackbirds, tits, finches and lots of fieldfares feasting on the fruits. 3 of the trees have been stripped completely bare - but it was lovely to see so many birds enjoying the fruits of my labour.
IMO the first rule of gardening has to be patience - closely followed by some basic planning.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Your garden wouldn't be dull over winter if you had other planting apart from wildflowers @trevor.biggins. Shrubs, trees, winter flowering plants etc. It's quite simple
Oh - of course - you do have grass to look at, according to your other posts. That'll be green
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Your garden wouldn't be dull over winter if you had other planting apart from wildflowers @trevor.biggins. Shrubs, trees, winter flowering plants etc. It's quite simple
Oh - of course - you do have grass to look at, according to your other posts. That'll be green
That's true However, I'm new to all this, so I still have some catching up to do.
I plant my garden for form and tone. 50% evergreen, much more when you count the lawn. Green is a colour too. A few evergreens are dull, but many have glossy leaves and interesting shapes and tones. And brown is a colour too; the deciduous plants don't just slip into the background. I try to add a bit of scent in here and there.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Posts
I'm currently looking out of my front window onto my OH's pots of Pansies, Violas & Wallflowers - all in flower in the alcove. The wallflowers are fragrant too. Further out into the open garden the Calamagrostis stems are still standing proudly upright and the tassles on my new Miscanthus are wafting about in the breeze. My Stipa gigantea is looking a bit tatty now but still gives structure with its faded 5' stems. Further over by the drive is where the gorgeous scent of the winter honeysuckle grabs you.
It's not spring or late summer but there's still some interest in the garden.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
My garden is relatively new (between 8 and 11 years old depending which area) and for the first few years I kept thinking I'd made schoolgirl errors because it didn't look (at least) passable over winter.
The last 3 or 4 years, however, plants have matured and clumped up and it has all started to work. The topiarised box (there was a lot more before blight and the caterpillars got to work!) and yew and the coloured cornuses have now reached a size where they provide winter interest. Similarly the evergreens are now sufficiently mature to give the structure I was hoping for. A 'big' birthday a couple of years ago provided some gorgeous large metal ornamental obelisks which support roses and clematis in summer but are real features in the winter garden.
Most years the 5 crab apple trees provide lots of colour through to the end of January. The recent cold snap meant there was additional colour this year in the form of blackbirds, tits, finches and lots of fieldfares feasting on the fruits. 3 of the trees have been stripped completely bare - but it was lovely to see so many birds enjoying the fruits of my labour.
IMO the first rule of gardening has to be patience - closely followed by some basic planning.
It's quite simple
Oh - of course - you do have grass to look at, according to your other posts. That'll be green
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."