Thinking of summer

Winter is good.

It’s like a forced rest in the landscape. There are some tasks you can do to keep on with landscape management, like cutting back anything that looks bad, but those are primarily reasons to find time outside.

Using the winter to evaluate your landscape, address and problems, and design your dream space allows you to make the most of the seasons and set your new landscape up for success.

Designing in winter allows lets you see where more evergreen screening could help build a sense of privacy around your property. You can also see where structure, color and interest could help improve the landscape appearance during the colder months.

Evergreens like Magnolias and Inkberries and Leucothoe can keep things structured and avoid looking bare.

Grasses like Panicum and Little Bluestem stay upright and provide texture and a warm straw color that catches the light.

Colorful shrubs like Red Twig Dogwood provide a bright contrast to the browns, greys and greens of the landscape.

With all of those layers in winter, its fun to think of what the warmer half of the year offers.

Annabelle Hydrangeas absolutely pop starting in late spring and early summer. Puffs of bright white flowers are hard to beat as a texture that lasts throughout so much of the growing season.

It’s helpful to look at photos from this past season and make the most of the current weeks. Designing and schedule upcoming installations is a fun way to stay connected to the landscape and plan for the coming seasons.