Planning A Winter Garden: Expert Planting And Design Tips

Designing a garden that comes alive in winter mean taking a slightly different approach - choosing plants for out of season form or fragrance, using containers creatively, and adding Lighting to draw the eye. 

With the right planning – and the right features you might just find that Winter is your favourite time of year!

At Agriframes, we believe every season deserves attention. Our range of Zinc Planters, Garden Structures, and Outdoor Lighting is designed to help you enjoy your garden year-round - we’ve compiled some planting and design tips to help you transform your garden into a place of winter beauty.

Focus on Structure

When summer foliage dies back, what remains is the skeleton of the garden - Strong lines and shapes take centre stage, so it’s worth investing in architectural features that stand tall against a frosty backdrop.

Garden Arches, Pergolas and Obelisks are brilliant for creating winter interest and are simple to install yourself. Even without climbers in leaf, their silhouettes catch the low light and provide definition - an Agriframes Gothic Pergola can frame a view down the garden, while a Classic Obelisk adds vertical emphasis in a border.

Pair these with evergreen climbers such as ivy (Hedera helix) or winter-flowering clematis (Clematis cirrhosa), which retain foliage or bring blooms when most plants are dormant. The combination of structure and evergreen planting will mean your garden doesn’t feel bare.

Plant for Winter Colour

Colour may be more subtle in winter, but it is all the more valuable for that. Dogwoods (Cornus alba and Cornus sanguinea) bring fiery red and orange stems that look striking against snow or frost. Position them where they catch the light – a Garden Arch or Screen nearby will provide contrast and frame the display.

Another absolute stellar winter performer is witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) with its fragrant yellow blooms, and mahonia with its glossy leaves and heavily scented yellow spires of flowers - Position these near paths or entrances so their scent and structure can be appreciated up close.

Use Containers Creatively

When borders quieten down, containers take on new importance. A thoughtfully planted pot can brighten even the darkest corner. Agriframes Zinc Planters are ideal for this – their clean, contemporary lines complement winter planting schemes beautifully and withstand the elements with ease.

Try filling a zinc planter with a combination of hellebores, trailing ivy, and evergreen grasses such as carex for texture. For a more formal look, plant a clipped box ball or dwarf conifer. Group planters in threes for maximum impact, placing them at key viewpoints like a doorway, patio, or beside a bench.

Light the Way

As daylight shortens, lighting becomes essential -it not only makes the garden usable on winter evenings but also highlights its best features. Agriframes Outdoor Lighting is designed to transform your garden after dark combining the practicality of lighting paths and entrances with the atmosphere of a warm glow cast by beautifully crafted fittings.

Use path lights to guide the way to a seating area or greenhouse, and place spotlights at the base of Obelisks or Arches to create dramatic shadows. Uplighting dogwoods or silver birches can turn their stems into living sculptures. Subtle, warm-toned light is most effective – think gentle gold rather than harsh white.

Think About Wildlife

A winter garden isn’t just a joy for us - birds, insects and small mammals all need support during the colder months so integrating wildlife-friendly planting adds life and movement even in midwinter.

Holly, crab apples, and cotoneaster provide berries for birds, while ornamental grasses are great for shelter. Install a Bird Feeder Obelisk to create a focal point that also supports local wildlife - watching robins and finches darting among the structures brings a garden to life even on the bleakest days.

Plan Your Views

Because we often see the garden from indoors during winter, plan your design around key sightlines. Look out of your kitchen or sitting-room windows and decide what you want to see. A Round Gazebo covered in evergreen climbers, a Zinc Planter Brimming with hellebores, or an arch lit by stylish Lighting can all become eye-catching focal points.

Designing with these views in mind helps the garden feel connected to your house - even when it’s too cold to venture outside.

Layer Planting for Interest

Just as with summer borders, layering works in winter. Combine tall evergreens such as yew or pine with mid-height shrubs like viburnum, underplanted with snowdrops or cyclamen. Plant bulbs in containers too – by February and March, crocus and iris reticulata will be lifting spirits with their cheery blue and gold colours.

Framing these layers with a stylish structure gives focus and helps the composition of your garden hold together even when flowers are scarce.

A Garden That Glows in Winter

A well-planned winter garden is a reminder that beauty isn’t just a summertime thing - by focusing on structure, colour, containers and wildlife with Agriframes Zinc Planters for stylish seasonal displays, Classic Structures for year-round impact, and Outdoor Lighting to extend your enjoyment into the evening you can create a space that is both peaceful and uplifting throughout the chiller months and one that you can really enjoy and look forward to.