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Downy Serviceberry Quick Growth Guide
Explore the Downy Serviceberry and its edible berries enjoyed by over 40 bird species, perfect for jams and pies with a taste reminiscent of blueberries.
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For gardeners, winter is a time to relax, rejuvenate and dream of the upcoming growing season. It’s also the time of year that we spend the most time indoors. For me, my gardens need to be as spectacular during the winter months as they are the rest of the year.
In our northern climate, each season offers so much excitement. With the arrival of spring comes beautiful tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. The Magnolias and Serviceberries are in bloom and all the buds on the trees and shrubs start fattening up, ready to explode. The Summer months provide us with the colourful blooms of daylilies, echinacea, rudbeckia as well as an abundance of fruit from raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. The crescendo arrives in Fall, with a spectacular display of foliage, seed pods and fall fruit harvest.
With all the visual and textural interest that Spring, Summer and Fall offer us, why do we expect so little from our winter gardens? By adding plants that have architectural interest year-round you will guarantee that your winter garden is as beautiful as the rest of year.
Add shrubs that have interesting twigs and buds. Here are my go-to shrubs for winter interest:
The trunk and branching structure of deciduous trees add weight and a very strong visual break to the winter landscape. Here are a few trees with interesting bark, branch structure and form:
Evergreens are an absolute must in my garden designs. I will always incorporate at least 30% evergreen plants to ensure structure and year-round interest. There are so many full-size and dwarf conifers that add so much joy to the winter gardens. Don’t forget that evergreens also offer our bird friends a safe home throughout the winter months.
When incorporating evergreens, be mindful of playing one texture off another. For instance, a Pine placed in front of another Pine gets lost, but a Pine placed in front of a Spruce will contrast beautifully. Here’s a list of a few of my favourites, but the list goes on and on:
And finally, don’t forget that many perennials offer winter interest as well. I leave my Sedum, Echinacea, Allium and Rudbeckia standing in the winter to provide food for the birds and enjoy the tufts of snow that land on them.
Many Ornamental Grasses can also stand up to snow load, such as Miscanthus, Schizachyrium, Panicum and Seslaria. All of these can be left standing to provide movement and a beautiful golden hue to the winter garden.
As the days get longer this winter, embrace this time to plan your winter garden for next year. Winter really is the only time of the year that you see the structure without all the noise of other plants. It’s dreaming season!
Explore the Downy Serviceberry and its edible berries enjoyed by over 40 bird species, perfect for jams and pies with a taste reminiscent of blueberries.
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