Q. It’s cold outside and my landscape (or my client’s landscape) looks barren. What should I do to keep the outdoors interesting year-round?
A. We will dedicate this month’s feature to winter landscaping. For much of the country, winter means landscapes void of color, filled with deciduous trees and semi-dormant shrubs. But consider this a time to perform a variety of important maintenance tasks, including dormant spraying and pre-emergent control of weeds, turf fungus and other diseases.
However, if you live in a milder climate, winter is also time to add unique combinations and varieties to the landscaping plan. In fact, many plant varieties are at their best this time of year and enhance winter landscapes with beautiful texture and color.
Perennials
If cared for properly, perennials offer long-lasting color year after year. Many popular perennials, such as Coreopsis, are grown especially for flower color, yet many also feature beautiful foliage colors, which can be effective additions to your winter landscape.
Groundcovers
Winter is a dormant or semi-dormant time for most groundcovers, but a few offer year-round color and coverage.
One of the most striking displays of groundcover color comes from the new Verbena hybrid ‘Tapien,’ which is available in an array of vibrant colors. Although most Verbenas are typically warm-season bloomers, ‘Tapien’ shows considerable color through mild winters.
Annuals
Color beds are a staple for many homeowners, associations and commercial properties. Now is the time to plan for replacing color beds with annual color for winter. Good foliage color options for the winter months include ornamental cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and Dusty Miller (Centaurea cineraria).
Shrubs
It’s important to plan for winter shrubs early, while soil still retains summer warmth. Some of winter’s most beautiful landscapes boast non-traditional plants. Recent popularity of flax (Phormium hybrid) has lead to the introduction of varieties in varying colors and heights that add distinctive color and texture to any landscape.
As you can see, there is much to be done with winter landscaping. Important maintenance, coupled with diverse plant selection and planning can make your winter season landscape presentation as strong as any other time of year. Call your landscape architect, contractor or local wholesale nursery for assistance.
This monthly feature is provided by Miramar Wholesale Nurseries, Southern California’s leading supplier of landscape plant material and supplies. MWN grows a wide variety of perennials, shrubs and distinctive trees at each of its three locations to supply landscape professionals and nurseries in the region and around the country with high-quality plant materials. MWN is a member of TruGreen LandCare, a ServiceMaster company.