When the hot days of summer come around, does your landscaping begin to look like a plant cemetery? Wouldn’t it be nice to have something blooming out there all year long?
With a proper 4-seasons planting plan for your landscaping, you can bring your yard back to life without changing how much water you use. That way, you can create year-round interest in your yard, improve the curb appeal of your property, and maybe even establish a new hobby to love.
What Should Be Planted in a Year-Round Landscape?
Choosing your shrubs, trees, and flowers must be a decision that is based on your local growing zone. You must consider the sun and soil aspects of your yard. For those reasons, you are the best judge of what should be planted in your yard for 4-seasons enjoyment.
There are, however, some generic guidelines you can follow for each season to make sure your local choices are the best they can be.
#1. Planting in Spring
With winter coming to its end, the first demand of your landscaping in this season is for color. That is why planting shrubs which bloom early is always a top priority. Forsythia blooms in the very early spring for most locations, which makes it a top option. Lilacs, hawthorns, and mountain laurels are good choices for some late colors in spring.
Then be sure to plant your favorite annuals and perennials each year, so that you get the exact color combinations you love.
#2. Planting in Summer
When summer comes around, the color of spring transforms into the colors of death. To continue giving your yard a blast of color, one option may be to plant a long-blooming item, such as a hydrangea shrub. Crape myrtle trees are another option to consider, with more than 50 different species as part of its genus.
You might think about investing some time into a rhododendron in the front of your yard as well for long-lasting color.
#3. Planting in Autumn
Autumn brings us the changing of seasons where the tree leaves blossom into a forest of stunning colors. If you want to prolong this colorful bounty in your yard, look for shrubs and vines that love to bloom late. Sumac shrubs are a common item to add. Flowering kale is a unique option to consider. Fall is also the perfect time to get your chrysanthemum collection onto your front porch.
#4. Planting in Winter
For most homes, winter is going to be about your evergreens. Only tropical climates are going to continue seeing bursts of color.
When considering evergreens, look beyond the color of the needles, which range from blue hues to a dark green. The color of the bark for the tree is also important. The red dogwood, for example, provides a very attractive red-colored bark that features well in many landscaping plans.
Are You Ready to Plant a 4-Seasons Landscape?
When you have color available in your yard all year long, then it feels like an extension of your home. Every region and climate are different, so consider all your options before beginning to plant.
Then consider mixing your favorite items with some of these suggestions to create the perfect landscape.