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Northern Winter Gardening

© Linda Mazar

This winter in Minnesota has been a cold and snow-filled one! The last report I heard said we had already gotten over 30 inches of our usual 49 inches of snow. That's a lot of snow for the month of December! With the deep snow cover that is typical in Minnesota, it is difficult to do any real winter gardening. With the sub-zero temperature we had in December, my motivation for winter gardening was at an all time low as well! Brrrrrr! Hopefully winter will warm up a bit for us now (wishful thinking, I know, but I can always hope).

Structure is very important to the winter garden, especially in snowy states such as mine. Since the flowers are under several inches (or feet in some cases) of snow, we must rely on the structure of the garden and larger plants to make it pleasing to the eye in the winter months.

One way to give structure is to lay out paths between planting beds. Practical things to consider in the northern area, is how you plan to keep those paths clear of snow, so be certain to use materials that lay flat for easy shoveling or snowblowing. If planning to snowblow your paths in the winter, you will also need to make certain that the paving material will not come loose and be caught in the auger of the snow blower. Paths need to be flat and stable. In our garden, we use lawn grass for our paths and then we freely snow blow over it. There is still a thin layer of snow that we leave in place. Blowing snow has not damaged the grass or the snowblower, so it was a good choice for us. Other ideas would be to use concrete, gravel, or brick pavers. If you are blowing snow on a concrete or other hard surface, you may want to use a shovel to finish removing any leftover snow. If using aggregate on your concrete, you will want to be sure to use a plastic shovel instead of metal to prevent damage to the stones in the finish.

Another way to provide structure and interest is through tree and shrub plantings. Even though your annuals and perennials may have been cut back and be totally buried under the snow, shrubs and trees will show above the snow and provide some beauty in the winter months. The placement of trees and shrubs can make or break your garden. Be sure to place them in consideration with other trees and shrubs. Do not crowd them all in one area, but do not spread them out haphazardly either. Plan their placement and allow for room to grow. Many plant beds can incorporate some shrubbery as a backdrop or to add height to the planting.

The copyright of the article Northern Winter Gardening in Gardening with Children is owned by Vickie Ferguson. Permission to republish Northern Winter Gardening in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.