10 proven ways to decorate your garden in winter

Every gardener wants his site to look “excellent” all year round, but original ideas for a garden do not always come to mind. Make sure that your garden is decorative not only in the summer season, because it is easier than it seems!

Winter is not at all a reason to give up activity, both physical and horticultural.

Go out into the garden and build a snowman, build a snow fortress, barbecue or eventually build a bird feeder – there’s always something to do on the lot! And at the same time take care of the appearance of your garden. Plan your preparations for the next season, starting in spring, which, by the way, is just around the corner.

1. Plant herbaceous plants in the garden

Decorate your garden with tall, ornamental herbaceous species: miscanthus, wild oats, millet, etc. Their leaves, reminiscent of the feathers of outlandish birds, will look very impressive in winter.

When choosing decorative cereals for the garden, pay attention to the frost resistance of the plants. For example, some varieties of miscanthus need to be covered for the winter, which means that such a grass will not be able to decorate the site for a whole year.

2. Get some shrubs with red branches

Plant plants with colored shoots, such as red turf. During the season, its branches change color from light green to dark purple.

Shrubs with decorative bark are good because they decorate the site not only during flowering, but also after its completion. With the help of these plants, you can create outstanding landscape compositions.

3. Plant some unusual trees or bushes

Use interestingly shaped shrubs, such as Kontorta’s hazel (hazel), whose branches are twisted in a corkscrew shape, or the Matsuda willow (twisting) with curly branches, as if after a perm.

Iva Matsudana is named after the Japanese botanist Sadahisa Matsuda

Plants with bizarrely curved shoots always attract attention, but in winter, under a layer of snow, the branches look especially interesting.

4. Don’t forget about conifers

Take care of planting conifers and shrubs. They have a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, there is always plenty to choose from.

Many conifers do not need shelter for the winter and are able to withstand bitter frosts. In addition, having grown a spruce on the site, you can use it as a Christmas tree, decorating it with garlands and ribbons.

5. Plant evergreens in your garden

Plant evergreen or partially evergreen deciduous plants such as rhododendrons, periwinkle, euonymus, and some Mahonia.

Just do not forget to clear the snow from the plants, otherwise, all the “beauty” will remain hidden under the snowdrifts.

6. Take a closer look at the plants with decorative fruits

Pay attention to plants whose fruits remain decorative even in winter. These are holly (holly), barberry, cotoneaster, snowberry and some ornamental apple trees.

Make sure that the birds arriving in your garden have something to profit from besides the fruits of such plants, otherwise the whole decoration will be eaten by feathered guests.

7. Hang bird feeders

By placing feeders for wintering birds in the garden, you will solve two problems at once: firstly, you will help the birds to survive the winter, and secondly, decorate the site with variegated art objects (and the birds themselves look great in the garden).

You can choose an interesting model in the store, but a hand-made feeder will look much more original.

8. Use decorative garden sculptures

An excellent decoration for the garden at any time of the year is garden sculptures and other items that will look good on the site. There are many options for small architectural forms for a garden in stores now, but with a little effort, you can make sculptures yourself.

To decorate the garden, you can use seemingly unnecessary things, for example, an old bicycle, boots, a broken garden wheelbarrow, etc.

9. Consider lighting in your garden

Take care of garden lighting. In winter, when it is dark most of the day, decorative lighting will not only add zest, but also allow you to walk around the site with comfort.

To celebrate special events, you can install candles or bio fireplaces in the garden, this will help create a unique and cozy atmosphere.

10. Discard common plant shelters

Use decorative winter shelters. Their main purpose is to protect plants in the cold season, but with the help of skillful hands and a drop of imagination, such shelters can be easily turned into interesting garden decorations.

After taking care of decorating the site in spring, next winter you will get a bright garden that will delight the eye, contrasting with the monochromatic snowy landscape.