Is your winter garden beautiful? If it has “good bones” it probably does but if not it probably looks a bit dull. So, what can you do to make it look better now when winter is upon it?
First, think about a wall, fence or hedge to serve as a backdrop for your garden and provide a sense of enclosure. This backdrop can be as simple as your neighbor’s house, a hedge along your property line, or as substantial as a wood fence or brick wall. If the wall is ugly think about planting some vines but be sure that they are evergreen or at least have a beautiful stem pattern if deciduous.
How about adding a birdbath There are many to choose from in many different materials and sizes, and at many different price points. Use the birdbath as a focal point of the garden and plant it near some shrubs so that birds will be protected when they come to visit. Use the birdbath like a stage prop and design a little planting around it using some small evergreen plants like heather or dwarf conifers, perhaps including some plants that have beautiful stems or silhouettes.
Include some seating in the garden. This can be a pretty bench of wood, stone, or brick or a large rock or stump. Place the bench so that it beckons you to come and sit for a while. Be sure that it is in full sun so that you are warmed even on a January day.
Give your winter garden some playful visitors in concrete or stone. Concrete statues of dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, birds, gods, and goddesses are available cheaply in such stores as Target, Walmart, Loews and Home Depot and liven up the garden in winter as well as at other times of the year. Consider also the concrete baskets, decorative pots, and other garden ornaments that can add interest to your winter garden.