Northeast December Garden Checklist: Structure, Evergreens, and Wildlife

Last month of a busy year. Gloves and tools stashed; some kick off boots by the fire. Gardens sleep under mulch and snow, but plenty to think about and do.

Look at the landscape: fundamental outlines and shapes. Tall/short deciduous trees, shrubs, evergreens = vertical walls, crucial winter focal points. Leaves off = architecture apparent. Masses of shrubs/specimen trees take new character—especially with interesting bark: multistemmed redtwig or yellow dogwood (Cornus spp), or Japanese coral bark maple (Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku', zones 5-8), outstanding with unusual coloration.

Bleak and empty = evergreens dominate. Take stock: good mix in beds and borders?

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Enjoy Winter Evergreens

Vertical evergreens like columnar white cedar 'Emerald' (Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald', zones 3-7) punctuate mixed borders, take little room. Groups draw eye, background grasses and stonecrops.

Deer eat cedar—wrap burlap high as possible if in deer country. Ugly but cheaper than replacement.

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Nothing beats boxwood in containers now, especially by doorways—tiny white lights or au naturel. Mix container/plant sizes, water regularly. Ceramic pots on covered porches avoid freeze-thaw damage.

Boxwood (Buxus spp) lovely in winter gardens grouped with creeping bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, zones 2-6), Native American kinnikinnick. Dependable evergreen, acidic soils, full sun.

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Bearberry Benefits

Good for harsh cold climates. Especially nice around white birch (Betula spp). Red stems contrast glossy rounded leaves bronzing in dormancy. Cultivars: 'Massachusetts', 'Emerald Carpet'. Cut bundles for holiday place settings or arrangements.

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Take Stock of Outdoor Seating

Most patio furniture winterized or garaged, but this Adirondack-style seat—tough postconsumer plastic from recycled milk jugs—stands up to worst winter. Composite material: color won't fade, resists cracking/splitting unlike wood. Furniture staying in place = mild-day sun soaking. Better than dragging chairs from storage.

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Keep an Eye Out for Winter Wildlife

Birdhouse = kitchen window focal point, functional. Juncos, cardinals, grosbeaks forage crabapples/winterberries, perch on roof or split-rail fence. Feeders on branches or wrought iron poles in strategic locations = viewing pleasure. Install poles before ground freezes. Birds = flowers of winter garden, bringing color and joy!

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Check Trees for Damage

Walk property: fallen limbs, broken branches. Winter storms wreak havoc. Post wet heavy snow: broom off shrubs/small trees to prevent permanent damage. Collect branches for brush pile (out of view) = wildlife shelter decomposition. Light pruning anytime now dormant. Snip dead branches to brush/burn pile—look for healthy bud tips.

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Note Areas Needing Stonework

Get names of reputable masons/landscape contractors. New property owners: note slopes/grade changes needing retaining walls—budget for hardscaping. Check references, ensure insurance. Smaller projects (walkways, patios, seat walls) good for design process; stripped-bones view reveals privacy needs or stepping stone paths.

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Photograph Your Garden

Camera walk, then tea and review indoors. Organize photos in accessible computer folders for planning. Arrange by area ("Front Walk", "Peony Bed") or category (foliage, flowers). Visual record helps chronicle growth—I'm amazed at a long border's transformation I'd forgotten was tiny!