One of the downsides of living in a climate that has four seasons is that it can be difficult to know what to plant and how to plan your garden. It’s easy to make your garden look fresh and vibrant in the spring and summer, but once Canadian winters hit, things can look a little drab.
What makes a plant species suitable for the Canadian landscape is its ability to survive and often thrive through all four distinct seasons.
Here are some plant species that you should have in your garden for year-long success:
Coneflowers
Known for the cone-like shape of their centres, these hearty flowers stand up to temperature changes and give you something different every season.
While they don’t flower all year long, coneflowers have a distinctive seed bulb during the winter months that’s essential to any winter scene.
They also bring life to your garden by attracting birds, bees and butterflies all year.
In the spring and summer, “it is a visual feast watching colourful butterflies fluttering over coneflower beds in full bloom. As the flowers fade and the nectar dries up, the flower heads…continue to attract winged beauties, but it is time for the birds now. Goldfinches are particularly fond of [coneflower] seeds. Many gardeners refrain from removing the dried up plants just to have these birds visit their garden.” - Natural Living Ideas
Blue Spruce
Not all plants turn dull and grey come wintertime. Blue spruce are native to Canada and give off a beautiful blue-green hue all year.
They are robust and can withstand extremely low temperatures (up to -40 degrees C)
As a member of the evergreen family, blue spruces are also great if you are using landscaping as a way to create barriers or privacy around your property since they are always lush.
Winterberries (a.k.a Holly Bushes)
Winterberry is a popular go-to to brighten up any winter landscape.
Winterberries are an iconic berry that are a deep red or orange during the colder months and produce little white flowers as the weather begins to warm.
This makes them the perfect choice for Canadians looking to add pops of colour to an otherwise drab landscape.
“Growing holly bushes in your yard can add structure and a splash of colour in the winter and a lush, green backdrop for other flowers in the summer.” - Gardening Know How
Pansies
Pansies are a popular year-round flower that will out-bloom many other cold weather flowers. They are perfect if you are looking for a plant that continues to flower into the colder months.
Some pansy varieties will even survive a light dusting of snow, and if they go dormant, will bloom again come spring.
Pansies also come in a wide range of colours, both solid and mixed, offering a variety of choice.
Canadians looking for plants that suit their landscape should seek out species that look good all year round and that lend different characteristics each season. When you plant garden varieties that bloom at different times during the year and can stand up to the changing Canadian weather, you’ll have something to look forward to all year!
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