Winter is absolutely the low point of the year for gardeners. It's our time of rest and dreaming/planning. However, if you derive physical and mental health benefits from your garden, then loosing all of it for several months can be difficult. I've been thinking about this lately and how I can still get some enjoyment from my garden even in the cold dark months. Here are some ideas I've had to enjoy the landscape as much as possible, even if you live in the north like I do.
First, consider your views out the window. Even the most enthusiastic snow bunny will spend more time indoors in the winter. What do you see out your windows? Sit in your most comfy chairs and observe what you can see outside. Perhaps you may wish to move your furniture so as to enjoy the outside more.
Second, can you create a walking path outside? Even a smaller yard like ours would lend itself to a circular stroll. Even here in PA there are some nicer days in the winter when I can bundle up and enjoy a walk around the garden.
Third, eventually I'd like to improve our outdoor fire pit to encourage winter use. On the unusually warm day you can have a bonfire outside and drink warm tea.
Once you have identified the areas of your garden are most visible in the winter and would bring the most enjoyment, then you need to identify unpleasant things to be removed or covered. Maybe you still have fall pumpkins out rotting that need to go in the compost. If you're like us, you probably still have children's summer toys lying around, or some trash that has blown about. Give things a clean up. If you have an ugly view that needs to be covered up, start thinking about how you can do that.
After you've gotten the problems taken care of, you're ready to add in beauty. How to do that? Well, that's in part 2! How do you enjoy your garden in winter? I'd love to hear your ideas.
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