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Winter Landscape Design & Winter Landscape Photos

Gain control over the winter landscape design you'll view as you engage in that dreaded snow removal! Winter landscape photos supplement the ideas offered. Tips on protecting plants from snow damage. Make a unique statement in winter landscape design by building igloos.
Winter Landscapes
Not only are pictures of winter landscapes beautiful to behold, but they can also furnish inspiration as you're planning your landscaping. Browse these pictures of winter landscapes for some ideas.
Popular Plants for the Winter Landscape
Ideas for adding visual interest to the winter landscape. This list of 10 popular plants for winter focuses on such factors as drawing birds for bird watching, color displays and plant hardiness.
Winter Landscape Design and New Year's Resolutions
Winter can be pretty gloomy, a good reason to while away those winter hours figuring out ways to spice up next year's winter landscape design. This article challenges landscaping novices to adopt 10 New Year's resolutions to improve not only their winter landscape design, but also their overall landscaping -- regardless of the season.
Christmas Scenes
Let these photos of Christmas scenes inspire you in decorating your own yard. My pictures of Christmas scenes include photos of Christmas Xmas inflatables and banners.
The Holly and the Ivy
There's a tradition (especially in the U.K.) of bringing sprigs of holly and ivy indoors for Christmastime. We enjoy their greenery while waiting for spring's return. Holly, of course, is also an important plant for winter landscaping. This article on "The Holly and the Ivy" looks at the plant symbology with which these plants were invested in medieval times.
Brighten Your Winter Landscape Design With Winterberry Holly
When winter comes to the north, it brings with it a dreary look. But with some observation, planning and creative ideas, you can bring color to your winter landscape design. This article discusses the requirements, uses and history of winterberry (ilex verticillata), a holly native to eastern North America that overflows with bright red berries.
Christmas Holly in History, Landscaping
Holly is a landscaping plant of exceptional versatility. Some type of holly can be grown almost anywhere in the U.S. (zones 3-11). Hollies can be grouped to form a hedge, or a specimen plant can stand by itself as a lawn accent piece. Its foliage can be harvested for winter decorations and its berries attract birds.
History of the Christmas Tree
The history of the Christmas tree was not without controversy, even before the recent "Christmas tree" vs. "holiday tree" debate. There were times in history when it was dangerous to celebrate the holidays by decorating with evergreens. But now, we are so sold on the idea that we can't decide which we prefer during the holidays: decorating the landscape or decorating indoors.
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Kiss and forget. At Christmas we kiss under the mistletoe, then forget it for another year. But there’s more to mistletoe than kisses: Druids and Norse, diverse botany, medical controversy, literary fame. And how about the origin of the term? Learn more about kissing under the mistletoe in this article.
Fall Gardens: Preparing Your Yard for the Winter Landscape
What should you be doing in your fall gardens to prepare for the transition to a winter landscape? This FAQ includes tips on putting the lawnmower to sleep and reviving the snowblower.
Snow House Fun for the Winter Landscape
Sculpting with snow is not limited to making a snowman. A fun project to do with the kids is to sculpt a snow house. A snow house (or igloo, if you're more adventurous) makes a fine Xmas or winter lawn ornament for a winter landscape desperate for decoration.
Christmas Poinsettias
Christmas poinsettias are a holiday favorite. Being sub-tropical plants, of course, your enjoyment of them in winter is strictly limited to the indoors, if you live in the North. But many plant-lovers in cold climes get a January "plant fix" by admiring the beauty of the poinsettias they received as holiday gifts.
Dwarf English Boxwood Shrubs
English boxwood shrubs are true dwarfs, keeping a rounded, compact form. English boxwoods make excellent hedges and "Christmas tree" topiaries.
Attract Birds for Winter Scenery
The best winter scenery comes on wings. I'm talking about the wild birds. And you can plan your winter landscape design so as to attract wild birds to it -- beyond what you would get otherwise, that is. One plant that will attract robins and bluebirds in late winter is sumac.
Evergreen Shrubs: Mountain Laurels
Don't confuse these evergreens with the more famous laurel, "bay laurel." While bay laurels are famous in cuisine, myth and history, mountain laurels are flowering evergreen shrubs that will impress you with their display of spring or summer flowers. Find out their care, and where and how to plant them. Laurels are used in garlands (roping) and wreaths for Christmas decorations.
Evergreen Trees for Winter Landscaping -- Nellie Stevens Holly
'Nellie R. Stevens' holly can be used as specimens or for privacy screening. They are sold both as evergreen trees and shrubs, depending on your preference.
Blue Spruce
Colorado blue spruce trees are deer-resistant and often used as specimens or windbreaks. A classic choice for Christmas and winter landscaping, Colorado blue spruce trees can also be impressive year-round landscaping components.
Dwarf Alberta Spruce Evergreen Trees
Dwarf Alberta spruce evergreen trees will eventually reach 6' in height, but only over a long period of time. The green needles have a tight, densely-packed growth habit that gives these evergreen trees a "fuzzy" look. Very popular for house entryways.
Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Isn't dreary winter weather reason enough to decorate with outdoor Christmas decorations? Whether inflatables or more traditional ornaments, outdoor Christmas decorations offer cheer at the time of year we need it most, brightening winter landscapes as little else can.
Pussy Willows
Do you have any pussy willows on your property? A great time to prune pussy willows (to keep them manageable) is after the delightful catkins have begun to unfurl, in late winter. Why? Because after pruning, you can bring them indoors and enjoy the cheer they bring!
Ice-Melt Products: Salt for Ice Melting
Online guide to ice-melt products. Keep driveways and porches safe this winter with these products, including alternatives to salt for ice melting.
Foliage Plants
Colorful flowers look wonderful in a yard. But they're just a distant memory in winter. Foliage plants (i.e., plants grown primarily for their foliage) offer visual interest over a longer period of time. Those that are evergreen (and especially the taller specimens) inject much-needed color into the winter landscape.
Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Our enthusiasm for outdoor Christmas decorations is understandable. In winter, the nights are long, the plants are dead and the snow falls over us like a burial shroud. Outdoor Christmas decorations help cheer us up!
A Living Christmas Tree
Steve Nix’s book review of Christmas Trees -- Growing and Selling Trees, Wreaths, and Greens, by Lewis Hill. Growing your own Christmas trees can save you money. And the trees you leave outside can add visual interest to the winter landscape, even increasing the real estate value of your property.
Top 10 Great Ornamental Grasses for Winter Landscapes
Marie Iannotti, About's Gardening Guide, prefaces her Top 10 list of ornamental grasses for winter landscapes by remarking, "Ornamental grasses accent a garden any time of year, but they might just be at their most imposing in the doldrums of winter. When there is little on view but the skeletons of your garden, ornamental grasses provide structure, texture and drama to the gardenscape. "
Create an Ice Palace
"Ask neighbors, friends, and family to save these containers for you. You can also freeze one batch at a time until you have enough blocks to build your ice palace," says Sherri Osborn, About's Guide to Family Crafts. Read Sherri's full article for all the steps involvoed in creating ice palaces for the winter landscape.
Winter Landscape Photos: Snow Scenes
Helen South, About's Guide to Drawing / Sketching, offers these winter landscape photos for inspiration.
Winterizing Your Landscape
Home Repair.com’s how-to for winterizing your landscape. Everything from putting power tools to rest properly to emptying irrigation systems so that they don’t freeze.
Ice Sculpture Art - Ice Sculpture Championship, Fairbanks AK
"To help breathe life and color into the city's monochromatic, snow-laden landscape, an international contingent of about 110 ice sculptors arrives every March from all over" for the ice sculpture championships, writes the Christian Science Monitor. On a smaller scale, you can breathe some energy into your own winter landscape through ice sculpture.
Ice Sculptures the Easy Way, Using Ice Sculpture Moulds
Perhaps you see ice sculptures being made by artists using chainsaws and think, "I could never do that." Well, there's another way to make your own ice sculptures that will be the talk of the neighborhood. Use ice sculpture moulds! This Web site sells ice sculpture moulds. You may even decide to go into business with these: ice sculptures currently are popular at events such as weddings.
Winter Landscape Photos From GeekPhilosopher.com
"GeekPhilosopher is working to become your premiere source for free stock photography, wallpapers, and desktop backgrounds. Our photos are so cheap, they're free! Currently, our collection categories include photographs of children, people, sports, fruit, vegetables, eggs, fun and different, medical, airplanes, flowers...." [-- GeekPhilosopher.com] I have linked you specifically to the page for winter landscape photos.
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