If you're about to move to an area that gets substantial winter snowfall, you're probably excited about the idea of gathering with family and friends around a roaring fire on a snowy evening, going sledding and then coming inside for hot chocolate, and building snowmen with your children in the front yard. However, there are certain things you should know about landscaping in cold-weather regions—following are three of them.
Leave Plenty of Open Space Around Walkways
Although it might be tempting to edge your walkways with herbaceous perennial plants and shrubs, doing so will pose a problem when it comes time for snow removal. Be sure to leave several feet clear on either side of sidewalks, driveways, and other paved surfaces in order to allow snow removal equipment easy access—otherwise, you may end up with damaged landscaping as a result of equipment trying to fit into space that's too small.
If you love the look of plants and flowers lining your paved areas, you can still have that by planting annuals or perennials such as daffodils or tulips that die back to the ground after completing their bloom season.
Plant Strong Varieties of Trees
You probably already know that you need to choose cold-hardy trees for landscaping in areas that receive seasonal snowfall, but you also need to choose trees with strong wood. For instance, poplar trees grow quickly and make excellent wind and privacy screens, but their wood is so weak that the trees risk losing branches as a result of heavy snowfall accumulation. Choose slow-growing trees such as ash, oak, or maple with strong, dense wood instead. Don't forget evergreens, though. The pointed growth habit of certain evergreens such as pine, cedar, hemlock, and spruce is because these trees evolved in snowy regions—their pointed tops help ensure that snow slides off easily instead of building up on the tree. Evergreens are also often welcome spots of green against bleak winter landscapes.
Include Some Early-Flowering Trees, Shrubs, Flowers, Bulbs
Choosing landscaping plants that flower in late winter or early spring, even when snow lingers on, is an essential element of creating an attractive outdoor space in cold-weather regions. Flowering quince is an excellent choice that provides a profusion of bright pink flowers in January or February, and it's virtually indestructible. It makes a great hedge when you plant several in a line near the edge of your property, and its thorns provide a measure of security. It can also be planted singly as a specimen plant. Other great early bloomers include forsythia, camellia, flowering plum, crocus, and snowdrops.
For more information, contact companies like Easy Care Landscaping.
