When you live in a cold climate, you may think that your landscape options may be limited. However, with some careful planning you can easily find the right plants that will survive through a harsh winter.
Look around at what your neighbors plant and take note of what makes it once the winter turns to spring. This will give you a starting point regarding what might work the best for your yard. The better your plants handle the weather, the easier it will be to keep them protected when frigid temperatures arrive.
When you’re careful about choosing your plants you’ll also save money in the long run because you won’t have to replace them every year. While your selection may be more limited taking this approach, you’ll still have plenty of options for creating a beautiful landscape that you’ll be proud to show off to all your visitors.
There are some steps that you can take to protect more sensitive plants if you just have to have them in your yard. Plant them in areas where they are protected from the full force of a biting wind such as on the side of a wall or near a sturdy hedge. This won’t guarantee their survival by any means, but you will give them a better chance of making it. You should also add mulch to the soil to help keep in warmth and reduce the chances of it freezing over.
Do what you can to make sure you don’t purchase plants that are sensitive to frost. Check out gardening books, talk to a local horticulturist, or look online. There are plenty of plants such as birch trees and Ninebark shrubs that will handle a harsh winter and still produce beautiful flowers in the spring. Holly is another choice, and comes in different varieties than red berry if you want something different. There are other plants, such as daylilies, wild ginger, achillea, and ajuga that can also thrive in colder climates.
One good way of telling whether or not a plant will be able to make it through cold weather will be to look at the color of its leaves. If it has thicker leaves and a dark green color, it will not lose as much water and stand a better chance of being able to handle strong wind.
No matter what type of plant you use for your landscape or how hardy it may be, you’ll still need to make sure you take care of them so they will make it through the winter. You may want to consider putting some of your more sensitive plants in an enclosure while the weather is cold. By taking some simple precautions and planning effectively, you can still have a beautiful garden when spring arrives.