How can you design for seasonal changes in your landscape?

One native plant that I love for its seasonal interest is oakleaf hydrangea. Summer flowers stay on the plant through fall and slowly darken from white to pink to brown. The foliage becomes a deep burnished burgundy by end of fall.

Designing for seasonal changes in a landscape involves creating a dynamic and adaptable outdoor space that looks appealing and functions well throughout the year. 1. Plant Selection 2. Blossoming Colors 3. Evergreen Elements 4. Fall Foliage 5. Winter Interest 6. Hardscape Elements 7. Functional Spaces

Hydrangea Quercifolia is not only a valuable native plant for the aforementioned benefits, but it is particularly beneficial as a very low maintenance shade loving plant that shines in an otherwise darker location, providing a delightful colour contrast.

In my book Shrubs and Hedges, I recommend going to the garden center every month of the year to find blooming plants to fill the voids so there is always something in bloom year-round. Also when purchasing bulbs select and purchase spring bulbs in the fall, and purchase summer and fall blooming bulbs in the spring. These flowers will fill in some of the gaps in the garden for transition periods.

I have worked with the re-establishment of a landscape in southern Sweden, Blekinge. Half of an area of 22 hectares of wild-growing forest was converted into grazing fields, as it had been in the past. New junipers do really well there. The original landscape consisted of a mixture of oak, beech and some wild fruit trees. A re-establishment of these growths must require an enclosure until they reach a height sufficient not to be damaged by the animals.

You can use hard materials to visualize seasonal experiences. In the Netherlands, for example, more water falls in the autumn. Then you can use paving stones of the same size and color but with different drying times to make rain visible for longer in appealing forms. Something that adds an incentive to play, especially in the fall. Wadies are another way to make rainfall visible.

One of the best ways to design for seasonal changes in your landscape is to use hardscape elements wisely. Hardscape elements refer to the non-living features of your landscape such as walkways, retaining walls, and patios. These features are permanent and can provide structure and visual interest to your outdoor space. When designing your hardscape, consider how the elements will look and function throughout the year. For example, choose materials that can withstand harsh weather and temperature changes, and select colors and textures that complement the surrounding foliage. By designing your hardscape with seasonal changes in mind, you can create a landscape that looks beautiful and functions well all year round.

Let the form follow its function. Determine with your clients the program of the space, and plan with those activities in mind. Sensory experiences are the richest and most memorable to humans. In addition to views and vistas, sense touch can be enhanced with richly textured surfaces vertical and horizontal.

I find that using hardscape to define edges is an effective design element. It also helps when the light is dim - people can identify where the paving ends easily. Using a border, 12" or 14" wide, of a different color paving works. I often use pavers set vertically to act as a raised bed edging. No more than 3" high.

Another way to design for seasonal changes in your landscape is to use hardscape elements wisely. Hardscape refers to the non-living features in your outdoor space, such as walkways, patios, retaining walls, and decorative rocks. By strategically placing these elements, you can create a visually appealing and functional design that will withstand the changing seasons. For example, you can use retaining walls to create a terraced garden that will prevent erosion and provide a beautiful backdrop for plants that bloom in different seasons. Additionally, you can use decorative rocks to add texture and interest to your garden, while also providing a naturalistic feel that complements the changing seasons.

Seasonal Care - we prune evergreens (junipers, yews, false cypress) at end of fall and early winter and use the cut branches as mulch to cover peony beds and perennial beds. It looks good and acts an nature's insulation.

When designing your landscape, it's important to take into account the changes that come with each season. This means considering the maintenance and care required to keep your outdoor space looking its best all year round. For example, in the spring and summer months, you may need to water and fertilize your plants more frequently to encourage growth and vibrant colors. In the fall, you'll need to rake leaves and prepare your garden for the colder months ahead. And in the winter, it's important to protect your plants from frost and snow damage. By considering these seasonal changes and planning accordingly, you can ensure that your landscape remains beautiful and healthy throughout the year.

I only prune evergreens in June +-, depending on early/late season. If they’re pruned then, the fibrous wood core hasn’t hardened yet, permitting the freshly pruned branch to heal itself & grow right through, leaving no stump for frost to penetrate & kill it further back, also still allowing them enough growing season to set the new buds for next year’s growth. Also, no frost/wind burn & browning off from late season trimming. But that’s in zones 3,4,5, Ontario) (Not speaking for other growth zones). *See continued comment to follow* (I tried, but was denied access).

Seasonal maintenance and care are essential for a thriving and visually appealing landscape. Adapting care routines to each season ensures plants receive the necessary attention, addressing specific growth, pruning, and fertilization needs. It prevents issues like overgrowth, disease, or winter damage, maintaining the overall health of the garden. Tailoring maintenance to seasonal requirements fosters a dynamic and resilient outdoor space, allowing for the enjoyment of diverse blooms and ensuring that the landscape remains in optimal condition throughout the changing weather conditions.

By consciously using seasonal management, biodiversity and thus a vibrant nature can be stimulated. This contributes to a lively experience of the outdoor space. By mowing in the right season, you can prevent bird or insect nests from being destroyed. In the Netherlands, for example, it is mandatory to protect lapwing nests (but also other species) during their breeding period. Mowing and felling plants must therefore be done carefully.

It is very important that our urban spaces be adaptable for all seasons; this includes winter. This ideology is taking on ever-increasing importance and is becoming part of the “Winter Cities” trend that is gaining motion in many Canadian Cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, etc. This movement was born out of a plan to better adapt our urban environments to the reality of winter, to promote innovative practices in urban design, to create flexibility within our park spaces to cater a broader range of uses and to show the importance of these public spaces by local communities, regardless of the season. Winter use keeps these important spaces activated year-round.

Incorporating seasonal activities and events into your landscape design is a great way to embrace the changes that come with the seasons. Consider adding features such as a fire pit for cozy fall evenings, a pond for summer swimming, or a garden area for spring planting. You can also incorporate seasonal decorations, such as festive lighting for the winter holidays or colorful flowers for the spring. By designing for the seasons, you can create a landscape that is not only beautiful, but also functional and enjoyable year-round.

Incorporating seasonal activities and events into your schedule adds vibrancy and variety to life. Aligning activities with each season allows you to celebrate and enjoy the unique offerings of that time, fostering a sense of anticipation and connection to nature's cycles. Whether it's outdoor sports in summer, cozy gatherings in fall, festive events in winter, or gardening in spring, seasonal activities enhance well-being, promote community engagement, and create lasting memories. Embracing the changing seasons ensures a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle year-round.

To develope an interesting and pleasing look in the landscape is to use leaf size and shape in contrasting patterns. Larger leaf such as Phillodendrum selloum or monstera paired with a variegated leaf patterns of smaller leaves, as well as smaller green leaves that have intricate shapes that have strap, elongated leaves or snowflake shapes. Annual color can be incorporated into this landscape seasonally.

Including of garden sculpture, such as a large vase, bird bath, fountain, garden gnomes, Buddha sculpture will add beauty to your landscape in all seasons.

In addition to seasonal programming it is important to include facilities that allow for use in different seasons. This can be multipurpose seating and paths, shelters against both sun, wind, and rain, and appropriate lighting that makes use possible also during darker periods. Too often we focus on spring and summer uses of green and other open spaces.

Depending on the climate and zone of the area, Resilient plants shall be chosen to highlight seasonal variations. Additional care shall be considered for storm or dry periods. Sustainable materials shall be chosen to mitigate climate issues and care for planet.

With climate change the 'traditional' season are changing so landscape and urban design needs to be resilient to these changes. This will inevitable mean looking at how landscapes function differently, such as how they deal with, often unpredictable, drought or flooding events. I beleive this means a reimagining of urban spaces to fullfill multiple uses [open space, flood attenuation, play, etc]. This is likely to mean that we become less reliant on the manmade hard landscaping with a lean towards a reliance on green infrastructure.

I will add containers placed in the garden, by adding seasonal containers it allows you to change the arrangement for the time of the year or seasonal changes in the climate. It also benefits professional services to maintain their clients Landscape on a residual basis adding your company’s presence to a property and building communication each season.

There is an ecological aspect to seasonal plannting which includes soil nutrient restoration and attracting different species for biodiversity.