Dec 29, 2024

Striking architectural winter gardens

Create an appreciation for textural foliage, the architectural structure of perennials and grasses in a winter garden with layers to create a stunning combination of textures, forms and contrasting tones.

I was a quite surprised on a recent visit to a new client who was looking for help to redesign her rather empty and sparse garden, aiming to add more texture, interest and colour. When we discussed the use of the garden throughout the year, I was surprised to hear she wasn't interested in how the garden looks in winter, as her main aim was to add heaps of colour during the summer months, as she rarely leaves the house in winter.

A brilliant part about our job as Landscape Professionals, is that we're able to assist a wide range of people to achieve their unique and personal goals, however..... a discussion like this makes you realise the large quantity of people which are unaware of the beauty that can be created with the right selection of plants to create a stunning landscapes in different seasons.

Alasdair Cameron garden in Devon

Winter may be the quiet season of year, as much of the colour has disappeared with flowers no longer blooming, the quietness is noticeable as the pollinators have begun hibernating and there's not much of a buzz and liveliness to the garden. Yes most of us of miss bounty of lush green foliage and full borders bursting with colour, but winter can be just as beautiful and surprising in it's own way.

Several well chosen plants which add bright colours to the garden in summer, can be left standing throughout winter to add textural foliage and architectural structure to landscapes, which can be especially striking when covered in a light dusting of frost or caught in the soft warm winter sunlight, by prioritising contrast and including a collection of perennials with contrasting heights, foliage and flower shapes and sizes.

Alasdair Cameron garden in Devon

Leaving plants standing for winter not only adds interest to the garden, but also has huge benefits for nature, with the seedheads offering a good food source for birds, which increases their breeding success the following year, as well as retained planting providing habitats for a host of overwintering residents.