The first snow always gives any scene a refreshing and beautiful look, the white of the snow against a bright blue sky. But then the snow turns brown and gray, the clouds come in and the scene turns from happy to gloomy overnight. So when you still want to enjoy your backyard landscaping as much as possible, it’s important to plan ahead and create a design that will give the gloomiest of days a pop of color. For all of your lawn care and landscaping needs, contact TLC Nursery & Outdoor Living.
Add a Firepit
Even if the nights are cold, a firepit in the backyard adds a cozy atmosphere where people can enjoy each other’s company. Grab a few blankets and mix up some hot chocolate and you’ll be on your way to enjoying even the coldest nights. Using bricks or cement blocks for the pit, bring in some colorful chairs, add a walkway to the firepit, your family and guests will soon forget that the sky is gray.
Use Color
With the right planning, color can be very beneficial in a landscaping design to brighten up the space in winter. If you have a fence or gate around the yard, consider painting it pale green, a deep blue, or go wild and try a soft shade of yellow. When the snow comes, the color will pop against the white. You can also plan on planting some winter flowers that will complement the design scheme.
Add Winter Flowers
Speaking of flowers, there are some blooms that actually open up during the winter. Even those who dread these cold months will have something to look forward to when they plant these flowers. Viola, winter jasmine, English primrose, pansy, and calendulas will all add some bright colors and cheer when you need it most. Get in touch with our landscaping professionals for advice on designing your yard.
Add Lights
Using color is one way to brighten up a space, but you can also do this literally with light fixtures! Make sure your guests find their way down the walkway to the firepit with lights along the path, if there is a pergola in the yard, string up some small twinkle lights, or install underwater lights in your pool. Adding a variety of light fixtures will give the yard and landscape a magical appearance.
Plant Winter Shrubs
If you want to plant something that requires a little less maintenance than flowers, winter shrubs are just the thing. Camellias have deep green leaves and they have a bright pink to red flower that will add some rich color to your backyard. Cotoneaster plants are in the rose family and have bright red berries on them. Winterberry holly is perfect for the Independence region and also has a bright red berry. A benefit to these shrubs is that you can bring the berries inside to enhance your winter and holiday decor.
Birds
You can’t necessarily add birds to your landscaping design, but the flowers and shrubs will attract many winter birds that will add an extra layer of brightness. Along with being able to watch and hear them playing among the branches, you can also add a bird bath for them to drink from. Finding water during the winter can be a challenge for birds because it freezes, so add to the bath frequently. However, place a large screen on top so that the birds can drink the water but don’t actually take a bath in it. This can be dangerous for small birds in cold weather.
The weather will eventually turn cold and gray, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in your backyard with colorful landscaping designs. With the right balance of hardscaping, flowers, trees, and shrubs, you can experience the warmth of summer throughout the cold winter months.