I originally published this article in March 2022. Enjoy!
Spring flowers are starting to pop from the ground like eager party guests who want to be the first to arrive… even as Mama Nature sends us a few more snowstorms in Colorado. (Good times.)
As we ride the weather roller coaster between winter and spring, it’s a good time to ask:
Would you like your garden to look more beautiful next winter?
I’m talking about a winter garden that has neighbors stopping to admire your landscape… or simply a garden that makes your heart sing every time you look outside.
If yes, spring is the time to act.
Many of the plants that add interest to winter gardens are best planted in April, May and June.
Yep, the months when the last thing you want to think about is winter!!
Here are two examples:
Ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses are showy landscape grasses that can add a big “wow” factor to winter gardens (and fall gardens too). Their feathery plumes and seed heads glow in the winter light. These grasses dance in the wind, adding a soothing whispering sound to gardens.
The irony is the best time to plant many ornamental grasses is when you crave color: spring!
“Warm season” ornamental grasses (the grasses that grow during the time of year that you wear sandals) are best planted in May and June. This is when they’ve actively started growing, but well before you see their seed heads. Not to mention, the weather usually isn’t too hot yet.
Pro tip: This is when grasses may look a little “meh” at the garden center. They won’t have their showy plumes yet, but don’t let that deter you. Buy them in the late spring, so you can create winter interest later in the year.
Evergreen shrubs
The same timing is true with evergreen shrubs—woody plants that keep most of their needles or leaves during the winter.
Spring is the ideal time to plant evergreen shrubs in western states like Colorado. That way, they have all summer to settle in before you find yourself reaching for mittens again.
(Typically, you can plant evergreen shrubs in the early fall too, but with fall planting, evergreens are more at risk for not surviving the winter.)
With spring approaching…
Now’s a good time to think about what you may want to plant, so your garden shines next winter.
Related tips that may interest you:
- 3 plants that struggle in western winters (what NOT to plant in your Colorado garden)
- Why ornamental grasses are an awesome plant for winter beauty
- 5 western garden trends to inspire your garden in Colorado, Utah and the West
