Always in Season

A multifaceted shrub like oakleaf hydrangea deserves a prime position. This one brings new interest to the front garden each season.

- Dr.JARED BARNES

The seasonality of plantings is one of my favorite aspects of gardening. When we plan and design our gardens so that they offer something anew regularly, they are even more engaging. Every week the garden brings something different to celebrate.

Unfortunately, many plantings feature commonplace plants that are meant to look the same year-round with little maintenance. Or we make the mistake of buying all the flowers the garden center carries in the excitement of spring. We cram them into the holes in our gardens but then watch them fade away as the second half of the year hits.

Building seasonal interest in the garden is a practice that we must conscientiously strive toward. The secret isn’t simply adding more plants; it’s choosing more plants that work harder across multiple seasons. With a few thoughtful steps, we can have gardens that look truly appealing the whole year.

What Is Seasonal Interest?

Seasonal interest can be defined as any detail that provides some visual aesthetic at a certain time of year. Sure, you could argue that boxwood (Buxus sempervirens), or any green mound of foliage, is visually stimulating. But compare an evergreen blob to a plant that possesses several dynamic attributes and it's obvious which is better.

I've put together a list of features that help plants shine across seasons; see “Look Twice” (left). The more boxes a plant checks, the better. Many of my favorite garden plants qualify as multi-season all-stars.

Among trees, 'Autumn Brillance' serviceberry (Amelanchier × grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance') offers beautiful white flowers followed by delicious fruit in summer and then brilliant fall foliage. For shrubs, oakleaf hydrangea (