Somewhere between roast turkey and wrapping paper we notice the front of the house looks bare. The bright color of summer annuals disappeared with the first frost and we never quite found the time to add pansies or kale. The front walkway is flooded from the down spout and shrubs look like brown sticks poking out of mud. With holidays pending we tend to entertain more in our homes. What to do? It is time to call in a landscape professional. The winter months are the best time to evaluate your landscape. Gone is the distraction of summer bloom and deciduous leaf. Now is when you can see the “bones” of the landscape, the silhouette of the Japanese Maple and the white exfoliating bark of the River Birch. Berries also add winter interest in the garden along with being a valuable food source for the birds. Virginians have been using holly to celebrate Christmas since colonial times. A spring of holly tossed onto a blazing yule log was thought to burn up the troubles of the past year and start anew. Holly was used to decorate mantles and top plum pudding. Holly (Ilex) has several species and hundreds of varieties. Two of my favorite natives are the Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) that the deer don’t seem to like, and Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Both hollies produce abundant berries. As the Winterberry drops its leaves with cooling temperature, bird watchers get the bonus of a clear view. Grape-like clusters of brilliant red punctuate the winter landscape with nandina. Nandina domestica is an old-fashioned southern favorite with roots in Japan. Because of the cane-like stems and foliage, it is also known as “heavenly bamboo.” No room for a six-foot nandina like Grandmother had? No problem. Nandina ‘MoonBay’ grows to only 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It is one of the compact varieties of nandina. Look also for ‘Gulf Stream’ and ‘Harbour Dwarf’ for dependable color, delicate texture and low maintenance. The shorter days of fall and winter are the best time to plant trees and shrubs. During this time the plant puts its energies toward new root development making it better able to survive the perils of summer heat. As a landscape designer and horticulturist, I always encourage my clients to plan before planting, and to consider the overall mature size of the tree or shrub they want to add to their landscape. Need some help planning your landscape or fixing your drainage? Call 722-7463 ext 312 to schedule a winter landscape design appointment. Take your landscape from “winter blahs” to “berry beautiful” and be prepared for a fabulous spring! by VNLA landscape designer Theresa Mullins

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Last Updated: 5/25/2006
all contents ©2006 McDonald Garden Nurseries.