It is quite likely that the matter of outdoor gardening is not top-of-mind for most Toronto and area homeowners during the bitterly cold weeks and months of winter weather. In many cases, the extent of any gardening, if one could call it that, would be the watering of indoor potted plants as well as their Christmas trees and poinsettias over the holidays.
In terms of tending to their gardens throughout the winter, a majority of homeowners let them lie dormant under a blanket of white snow until the ground becomes visible again next spring; a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind yet with the subconscious understanding that the beauty, colours, and vibrancy of these gardens will return in just a few months.
But it does not have to be this way; with a little time, thought, and effort, homeowners can Convert their Outdoor Gardens into Attractive Winter Landscapes – and not just for the few weeks leading into the holiday season but for the entire winter and throughout their entire property as well. This will add colour to an otherwise white and skeletal landscape while also giving their home/property a look of warmth and character during the coldest times of the year.
Some winter garden landscape ideas that homeowners may find of interest, or that could spark other ideas of their own design, consist of the following:
- Strategically-positioned spotlights
- Walks/driveways lined with accent urns
- Mini-lights strung along bare tree branches
- Outdoor seating area, complete with a fire pit
- Seasonal potted plants in open or bare spaces
- Hanging baskets in doorways and exterior walls
- Evergreen boughs adorning arches/trellises/railings
While adding these or other winter landscape elements to the outdoor gardens, it will be important for homeowners to heed what could lie underfoot, so to speak, in terms of any bushes, shrubs, young trees, perennials, etc.; this means that they should be cognizant of any actions that may potentially cause immediate or future harm to their landscaping.
Some activities that homeowners should avoid will include:
- Banging snow and ice from tree and shrub branches
- Allowing ice melting products to enter/drain into gardens
- Piling heavy, wet, or excess snow atop delicate shrubs/bushes
- Permitting heavy snow from the roof to cascade into the gardens
- Walking or placing ladders haphazardly or without attention to safety
If homeowners like the concept of having a winter landscape in their gardens but do not have the time or inclination to design and/or build it themselves, they have the option of contracting professional landscape service providers, such as the team from Landcare, to help turn the snow-covered gardens throughout their property into winter wonderlands.
Landscape Design and Build Services to Provide Year-Round Beauty, Enjoyment
Taking the above concept one step further, Toronto and area homeowners might want to collaborate with the design experts at Landcare to create and build a garden landscape that includes elements for the winter and not just the growing seasons. By incorporating features and plantings that can withstand the winter, Landcare can provide homeowners with an opportunity to highlight and appreciate their gardens on a year-round basis.
Some of the garden landscape ideas and features that Landcare can design and build to extend across all seasons would be:
- Plants that offer colour and visual appeal in the winter
- Tree planting for better aesthetics, privacy, or protection
- Installation of natural stone paths, walkways, retaining walls
- Wood construction, such as gazebos, pergolas, trellises, arbors
- Construction of an entertainment area – fire pit or outdoor kitchen
- Placement of permanent landscape lighting in gardens, along paths
Let the Landcare team help you transform your outdoor gardens into winter wonderlands this year and beyond. Call the landscape design and build specialists at Landcare today at 647-557-7307 to discuss ideas on a garden landscape design that will offer beauty and enjoyment throughout all seasons of the year.