It can be hard to think about enjoying an outdoor living space in the dead of winter, but then again, why invest so much into a landscape that you can only enjoy for part of the year? With a few clever tricks, you could get more for your money. Here are our tips for getting the most out of your landscape design this winter in Exeter and South Whitehall, PA, areas.
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The three elements that can transform a space into a year-round getaway are fire, water, and shelter.
Water
Let’s talk about water first, since you’re probably wondering how in the world you’re going to enjoy a pool or water feature during the deep freeze of winter. A water element you can use year round - and actually enjoy more when temperatures dip - is a hot tub.
For best results, the hot tub should be located in relatively close proximity to the house, to avoid feeling like you’re making a trek over the frozen tundra; but at the same time, it’s an opportunity to create a beautiful destination if the hot tub is located near an outdoor fireplace and pavilion: fire, and shelter, the other two elements of winter landscape design. This is an option sometimes used by homeowners who have a pool, as a way to utilize the space when the pool is closed up for the season.
Fire
A fireplace - especially one that’s attached to a pavilion - can transform the space into a cozy year-round getaway. Fire pits, too, can be absolutely magical in winter, when everyone gathers around with mugs of hot cocoa to sit by the fire on a snowy evening. A fire table makes outdoor dining fun in winter.
Wood-fueled fire features deliver more heat than natural gas or propane. You also get the authentic wood aroma. You’ll want to weigh the options to decide what type of fire feature will work best for you. Wood-fueled fire features are more work, and messier; but they can be used for cooking, which is more challenging with gas or propane fire features since any food that drops into the burner area can be very hard to clean up.
Shelter
A pavilion with a fireplace can feel like a cozy living room in all but the most blustery winter days. Just imagine sitting by the fire, bundled in your favorite fleece blanket, watching the sparkle of light on freshly fallen snow! The ceiling will help trap the heat, and you can add clear plastic wind screens to enclose the space if you like.
If you already have a pergola, you could add roofing material to it in the form of corrugated polycarbonate or aluminum sheets; these can remain in place temporarily (just during winter) or you may decide to leave them installed all year long.
With these three elements in place, you could easily enjoy your landscape all year!
Now, let’s move on to natural elements that will look just as beautiful and interesting in February as they do when everything’s lush, green, and blooming.
Natural boulders look amazing covered in snow - the dimensional effect helps turn the landscape into a wintery work of art. Evergreen trees hold the snow on their branches for a magical fairytale effect. Shrubs with colorful bark, such as dogwoods, and shrubs with berries such as winterberry and oregon grape holly will add pops of color throughout the landscape on even the dreariest of grey winter days.
