It seems that winter is almost at an end. At time of writing, the good people here in Stouffville, Ontario are in March, and are facing the final gasps of winter. Well, that is, if the calendar is to be believed. As most of us know, this is but fool’s spring, and soon we shall soon see a brief resurgence of that most dreaded of seasons before it returns to its slumber for yet another year.
However, most gardeners, landscapers and homeowners found that for most of this winter, they didn’t have much of a garden. This is characteristic for winter, especially the harsh Stouffville winter, but it’s something that we all must face. When the snow comes our gardens go, and when the snow disappears we can finally get back to doing what we love most– creating a space for things to grow. Or, at least, so we thought.
Believe it or not, but there is actual room for growth and life in the winter. There are only some specific types of plants that can be that growth and life, but it does exist. We have covered some of those plants on this website before, however there are so many more that we didn’t actually cover. And so, we decided that it would be prudent of us to go through a couple more of those plants. Why? So that come next winter, the landscapers, gardeners and homeowners that are gracious enough to read these articles can have a bright, vibrant garden, as opposed to what they are usually forced to have.
Why write this at the end of winter? So that those aforementioned homeowners, landscapers and gardeners can get on planting these plants right now! So, without further ado, this is more plants for making a garden look great in the winter.
Cabbages and Kales
These aren’t the cabbages and kales one would find in salads, on sandwiches or in smoothies. While they are fine to eat, they tend not to be as flavourful as their non-ornamental counterparts. Yes, the cabbages and kales that are going to survive during the winter are known as “ornamental” cabbages and kales. Also know as “decorative” these beauties will brighten up any garden during the winter with their bright colours and their leafy exteriors.
These are really the perfect winter plants. Those bright colours we talked about mere sentences ago? They tend to fade when the temperatures get a little warmer, so any place that has cold winters (like Stouffville, Ontario) is going to be great for the cabbages and kales. Plus, their look adds a whole new dimension to the average garden. They’re pretty too look at, they’re hardy, and they will make a great addition to any winter garden!
Camellias
These are some of the most beautiful flowers we’ve seen period. They tend to come in variations of red, pink, coral and white. They have the classic yellow middle of a flower. They have these waxy petals that add a kind of painting look to anyone’s garden. Best of all– these plants tend to flower in the fall in winter!
Yes, the Camellias are a winter flower that will add some much needed vibrancy to an otherwise grey, muted landscape. These guys are evergreen (which is pretty much par for the course on this list), and they tend to grow on trees or shrubs. However, a Camellia plant can be added to any garden to add a veritable fireworks display of colour to anyone’s space.
Japanese Maples
We here love Japanese Maples. They are some of the nicest trees, and possibly the second best of the maples (sorry, we are Canadian). Let’s take a look at a couple of specs for this awesome tree. They grow with these very strange and contorted trunks, which add this layer of beautiful strangeness to a garden. They also have these beautiful pinkish leaves that briefly sprout when the cold hits, which is like a rainbow in the backyard. However, once the leaves fall, the Japanese maple tree’s branches and turn become an art form of their own, really showing off those aforementioned curves and twists.
The only slight against the Japanese maple in the winter is that they need to be protected. A lot of experts say that Japanese maples should wrapped in burlap if the owners tend to have a lot of animals in the area. Rabbits can be the bane of the Japanese maple’s existence, so try to keep those critters away. Landscapers, gardeners and homeowners that live in areas with lots of pests– this plant may not be the right decision. However, if one lives in an area where critters probably won’t be all that much of a bother, then strongly consider this tree. The trunk winding against a snow white background is truly one of life’s greatest marvels to behold.
And so, this article about the best plants to put in during the winter has come to an end. Yet, we learned a lot about the different types of plants one can plant in their garden in order for it to look good in the winter, didn’t we? We learned about cabbages and kales, and how even though they may not taste the best they can add some new dimensions and colours to the garden. We learned about Camellias, the beautiful flower that can add a dash of spring to the deadest of seasons. Finally, we learned about the Japanese Maple, a tree who’s branches and trunk is like an abstract painting.
However, we learned that if one wanted to put one of these beautiful trees in their backyard, they would have to wrap it in some burlap. So some knowledge of the area in which one lives is integral to the survival of these beautiful plants!
Winter does not have to be the season of death. With a little bit of work, and a bit more of pre-planning, the winter can be just as lively as the spring, summer or fall. Well… almost as lively.
