Winter in New Jersey can be harsh, with freezing temperatures and snow covering garden beds for months. However, with proper selection and care, your landscape can still thrive and provide a backdrop of beauty and color during the colder months. Seaview Landscapes, a premier provider of landscaping and lawn and yard care services in Cape May County, is dedicated to helping homeowners choose the best winter plants to create a vibrant winter garden. Let’s consider some of your options.

Winter Plants: Beauty Beyond the Cold

Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

Evergreen trees are the backbone of any winter garden, offering color and life throughout the winter months. These trees don’t just survive winter; they thrive during it, providing shelter and beauty when other plants succumb to the cold. Species like holly, with its bright red berries, or blue spruce with striking blue flowers, can add a pop of color to a stark winter landscape.

Blue Spruce

Hardy Flowering Plants

For those looking to add more than just greenery, there are several winter-hardy flowering plants that can bring life to your garden. The Christmas rose, with its delicate white blooms, thrives in the cold and can even push through the snow to bloom in late winter. Winter pansies are another great option; these hardy flowers can handle light shade and full sun, blooming throughout the winter in milder climates. Additionally, Winter Jasmine can be a fantastic choice, offering bright yellow flowers that provide a stunning contrast against the dreary winter backdrop, even thriving in the cooler temperatures of New Jersey.

Christmas Rose

Winter Jasmine

Survive Winter: Strategies for Plant Survival

Planting for Protection

Choosing the right time to plant is crucial for ensuring your plants survive winter. Fall planting, particularly in late fall, allows plants to establish roots in still-warm soil, making them more robust against winter’s chill. This is especially true for winter-hardy plants, which need time to acclimate before temperatures drop.

Garden Bed Preparation

Preparing your garden beds in early spring or late fall is key to protecting your plants. Mulching can help insulate plant roots from freezing temperatures and prevent frost heave, which occurs when soil repeatedly freezes and thaws. Additionally, selecting garden spots that receive winter sun can help minimize the impact of cold and provide much-needed warmth.

Cultivating a Winter Wonderland

Designing with Winter in Mind

When planning your winter gardens, consider the overall aesthetics. Arranging plants with winter interest, such as those with textured barks, colorful berries, and evergreen foliage, can turn a bare winter landscape into a winter wonderland. Incorporating elements like light shade and evergreens can provide visual interest and contrast against the starkness of a typical winter backdrop.

Pick Cold-Hardy Choices for the Right Zone

New Jersey falls predominantly within USDA Hardiness Zone 6, a classification that provides crucial information for selecting plants best suited to the climate’s seasonal extremes. In Zone 6, winter temperatures can dip as low as -10 to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, necessitating the selection of plants that can withstand such cold. 

When choosing plants for your winter garden in this zone, it’s important to look for species that are noted for their resilience to freezing temperatures. Ideal plants for this zone not only survive but often flourish during the cold months, adding vibrancy and life to your garden despite the harsh weather. Opt for native species or those specifically adapted to Zone 6 climates to ensure your landscape remains robust and beautiful all winter long.

Let Us Build Your Winter Garden Landscape in Cape May County, NJ

Seaview Landscapes offers expert guidance and services for homeowners in Avalon, Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Brigantine, and Margate looking to enhance their landscapes to withstand the winter while maintaining beauty and functionality. Our team can help you select the right plants that will thrive during the winter, enhancing your home’s curb appeal and creating a beautiful setting year-round.

For more advice on creating a durable and attractive winter landscape or to get an estimate on professional landscaping or lawn care services, contact Seaview Landscapes today. Let us help you achieve the perfect balance of beauty and resilience in your outdoor spaces, no matter the season.