Picture-perfect setting
Benches, fences and walkways add visual interest to a landscape in any season.
Photo by George Weigel
Sometimes it’s not easy making a yard look good even in one season, much less all four. Yet high on many a landscaping wish list is the goal of creating a yard that changes with the seasons and looks good in all of them.
The job is a little easier in spring to early summer, when the majority of plants bloom. It gets much harder where seasons bring major changes, and it’s hardest of all in winter. Still, it’s possible to milk the most out of any landscape with smart planning and these tips.
Evaluate your seasonal weaknesses. Do your homework to learn which plants are in prime form at different times. Then think about what each part of your yard looks like in each season, and seek out plants that will add interest to boring gaps.
Move beyond two-week wonders. Many of our favorite landscape plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, peonies and forsythia, peak for only a few weeks of the whole year. If your yard is heavy with short-term performers, look for plants that do more than one thing in one season. Adding plants with multi-season interest is especially helpful in smaller yards where limited space restricts the number of different plants that can be used.
Pay attention to leaf color. This is especially important in plants that hold their foliage over winter. Blooms are fleeting, but colorful leaves and needles add interest much longer.
Visit public gardens. They’re great for getting ideas and seeing what’s thriving in different seasons. Take notice especially of public gardens near you, because the plants doing well there are likely to do well in your yard, if you share the same climate and soils.
Spy on your neighbors. Pay attention to what people near you have planted. If their plants are doing something interesting when your yard is snoozing, find out what those plants are and add them to your list. Your neighbors may be flattered that you noticed how nice their yard looks.
Don’t overlook hardscaping. Paver walks, stone walls, arbors, fences and other non-plant features of the landscape provide year-round interest.