With warm sunny days of spring still many weeks away, the yearning to see green things growing is swelling inside many of us. And though there may not be many gardening tasks to attend to, the garden still beckons us to visit. Just because its winter doesn’t mean we can’t get out and enjoy our backyards. There are many beautiful things to see and experience in the winter landscape.
Trees and shrubs like beeches, redbuds and corkscrew hazels can now show off their interesting branch patterns that are hidden by their leafy canopies the rest of the year. The branches can be seen mirrored in their shadows falling across the snow. Get up close to lilacs, maples and other trees and shrubs and you will see their buds swelling with the promises of spring’s return. The barks of trees like birches, sycamore and paperbark maple are more noticeable now. Evergreens and broadleaf evergreens take a step forward in the winter garden.
There is beauty in the snow itself. Not many sights equal the wonder of awakening in the morning to a fresh blanket of newly fallen snow. Every tiny seed head, every twig, every exposed inch of ground, sparkles in the morning sunlight. Or sometimes its a magical world of ice or frost we wake up to. Even the patterns of dripping icicles hanging from the rooftops add interest to the otherwise dreary landscape.
Great plants for the winter garden are those that have distinguishing features which make them stand out and beg for your attention. Holly and winterberry both sport bright red berries, evergreens bring green and blue colour to the garden, and broadleaf evergreens can offer different texture and variegated colours. Large ornamental grasses and seed heads of perennials not only add interest but also provide a source of food for many birds. There are even some perennials that are evergreen such as bergenia and English ivy. Trees and shrubs with distinguishing bark and stems, like red twig and yellow twig dogwoods, help make the winter garden more interesting. There are some plants that bloom late in the winter when there may still be snow on the ground. Add some perennial hellebores (Christmas Rose), a witch-hazel shrub, and early spring flowering bulbs like snow drops and glory-of-the-snow to help get your garden kick-started into spring.
Another way to get a jump on spring flowers is to bring some branches indoors to force. Put cut branches in a bucket of warm water with a little bit of flower preservative. Forsythia, ornamental pear and pussy willow branches are easy to force into bloom indoors.
Feeding and watching the birds make a great winter pastime. Observe the different species and their habits. Take time to watch their antics as they bring life and colour to your backyard.
Winter cannot be fully enjoyed from the cozy warmth of the indoors. Become a kid again, get bundled up, and find amazement in everything you see. Get up close to snowflakes and see how different they really are. Breathe the fresh cold air deep into your lungs and watch the warm air you exhale. Listen to the squeaks and crunches of the snow under your feet. Look for and follow animal tracks to see who they belong to and where they lead. Lie in the snow on your back and look at how perfectly blue the winter sky is.
Take your camera out and capture the glistening snow and the way the ice wraps itself around every branch and stem. Before you know it, green buds will be unfolding and a new gardening season will begin.
