VIII: What Do I Do With Native Plants in the Winter?

You may choose to cut back your native plants in the winter once they are dormant, but birds, insects, and small mammals will love you if you don't.  The untrimmed vegetation can provide needed food and shelter to these animals. 

HOW TO CREATE ADDED BEAUTY IN NATIVE YARDS IN THE WINTER

Some fear that a native lawn will become unsightly during the cold months when the plants are not growing.  Following are some suggestions for adding interest to the native yard during the winter:

• Utilize string lights to highlight hardscape structures and create focal points.  Lanterns placed on a table or hung from an arbor can create a warm glow over the surrounding area.

• Make a topiary with grapevine balls or artificial trees.  These can be decorated with string lights to highlight your porch or yard.  

• Hang grapevine wreaths decorated with bright berries that, in addition to dressing up your doors and windows, will provide treats for overwintering birds.

• Decorate your porch or outdoor table with lanterns filled with string lights or fairy lights.

• Adorn your evergreen trees with garlands of cranberries, nuts, popcorn, and small fruits like grapes and berries to add beauty and bring grateful birds and animals to your yard.

• Create a celestial glow with ice luminaries, which you can make yourself.  For more lasting illumination, use battery-operated tea lights or LEDs instead of candles. 

• A birdhouse or bird feeder painted in bright colors can do much to brighten a winter yard and will provide protection from the elements for area birds

• It is important to mulch flower and tree beds in the winter to protect their roots. You can add  another layer of protection as well as a decorative embellishment by topping the beds with pinecones, which will add texture to your yard.

• If you live in an area where the temperatures remain below freezing during the day, you can set out some colorful ice orbs to change up the typical monochromatic appearance of a winter yard.  Funnel water and food coloring into balloons and leave them outside overnight to freeze. Cut the balloons away from the ice and brighten your yard or walkway with the ice orbs.

  Follow the Birdhouse.farm Research blog for more in this 9 part guest series from Nancy Vaughan.