Elevate Your Winter Garden with Garden Structures

Winter gardens have a unique charm and beauty, often revealing the structural elegance of plants, evergreens, and the subtle colours of winter with delicate and flowers that pack a big fragrance punch.

Garden structures—such as Arches, Pergolas, Obelisks, and Gazebos—are key design elements that add interest, support planting, and create focal points throughout the winter season. While many think of Garden Structures as primarily spring or summer features, they can be equally impactful in winter, adding shape and form to the garden when much of the main show has faded.

Here’s how to make the most of your winter garden with the help of structures from Agriframes.

1. Creating Focal Points with Garden Arches

Garden Arches are a wonderful way to add a sense of depth and structure, framing views and drawing the eye through the garden. During winter, when foliage is sparse, an arch becomes even more prominent, giving shape to the garden's bare landscape.

Evergreen Climbers

Use Arches to support evergreen climbers like ivy, clematis armandii, or winter jasmine. These plants hold their leaves year-round, providing a splash of green that softens the structure and adds a pop of colour. Winter jasmine, with its bright yellow flowers, is especially attractive during the colder months.

Festive Décor

Arches can also be decorated for the festive season. Try weaving solar lights, berries, or even a garland of evergreens through the frame for a seasonal touch that will bring cheer to the winter garden.

2. Defining Spaces with Pergolas

Pergolas aren’t just for summer shade; they can also define areas within your garden during winter - structure draws the eye upward, adding a vertical element that complements the surrounding winter landscape.

A Pergola can create a defined outdoor “room” - think roasting marshmallows over a fire pit or enjoying a cosy hot chocolate on a crisp day.

Winter Hardy Vines

Pergolas are perfect for supporting winter-blooming climbers like honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima), which provides fragrance and delicate white flowers through winter. Consider evergreen honeysuckles for year-round foliage.

Lighting Accents

A Pergola lit with fairy lights or lanterns can bring warmth and charm to your winter garden, making it enjoyable even in the darker months. Garden lights strung across the structure create an inviting focal point that draws attention, offering a cozy ambiance in the evening.

3. Height and Texture with Obelisks and Plant Supports

Obelisks are versatile structures that add height and architectural interest, even in winter. Their pointed form brings a sense of elegance, especially when placed strategically within garden beds or alongside pathways.

Winter Blooming Plants

Obelisks can support plants like hellebores or winter-blooming clematis, creating vertical accents that add life to the winter garden. Use obelisks in beds where plants die back, helping maintain interest in spaces that would otherwise look sparse.

Rustic Charm

During winter, obelisks add a rustic touch to frost-covered beds. Their geometric shape is a perfect contrast against the softer winter landscape, creating visual intrigue that draws visitors through the garden.

4. Transforming Garden Pathways with Trellises

Trellises are often used to support climbing plants in warmer months, but they can also play a significant role in your winter garden design. Positioned along pathways, a trellis provides structure and guides movement through the garden, making it more inviting and accessible.

Privacy and Protection

Trellises can act as a windbreak in exposed areas, helping to shield tender plants from harsh winter winds. Place trellises strategically to create sheltered microclimates within the garden.

Evergreen Climbers and Décor

Decorate your trellis with evergreen climbers like Euonymus or pyracantha, which holds its colourful berries through winter. Twine seasonal garlands or fairy lights along the trellis for a festive look.

5. Gazebos as Winter Shelters

Gazebos are often associated with warm-weather relaxation, but they’re just as useful in winter. A gazebo provides shelter from rain, snow, or wind, offering a protected space to enjoy the garden during the colder months.

Winter Views

Placing a gazebo in a central or elevated location allows you to enjoy views of your winter garden. Add cosy blankets and a few lanterns or candles, transforming it into a peaceful retreat. On milder winter days, it can be a lovely place to watch birds visiting feeders or take in the frosty scenery.

Decorative Touches

Drape evergreens, holly, or ivy along the gazebo for a touch of festive decor. This adds seasonal interest and creates a beautiful winter scene, perfect for holiday gatherings or quiet moments in the garden.

6. Frost-Resistant Planters for Winter Interest

While not technically a structure, planters can function as architectural features in the winter garden. Frost-resistant zinc or metal planters add a modern, industrial feel to the garden and can be filled with hardy winter plants to bring life and colour to bare spaces.

Winter Plant Choices

Plant evergreen shrubs, winter-blooming pansies, or hellebores in frost-resistant planters to ensure your garden has pockets of green and color throughout winter. Arranging planters near entrances, pathways, or alongside garden structures like arches or trellises enhances the garden's overall layout.

Grouping and Layering

Arrange multiple planters at varying heights to create layered interest. Positioning them around focal points like pergolas or along garden pathways adds depth and creates a cohesive look across the garden.

Adding Movement with Wind-Resistant Screens

Winter winds can be harsh, especially in more exposed gardens. Wind-resistant screens can act as both a structural element and a practical solution, protecting plants and creating warmer microclimates within the garden.

7. Decorative Screening

Metal Screens in decorative patterns bring texture to winter beds. They also offer support to plants that may require staking during strong winds and help shelter plants like winter vegetables or delicate shrubs.

Seasonal Style

Screens adorned with evergreen garlands or adorned with frosted foliage look stunning against the winter landscape, creating visual interest and providing protection for plants.

Maintenance Tips for Winter Structures

While garden structures add beauty and interest, they also need a bit of maintenance to stay in good condition through winter weather. Agriframes structures, with their durable construction and powder-coated steel, are designed to withstand the elements and require minimal upkeep.

Cleaning

Clean any garden structures in early winter to remove dirt and debris that could corrode or wear down finishes over time. Use a soft brush or cloth and avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the coating.

Inspect for Damage

Before the first frost, check structures for any signs of wear or rust. Minor touch-ups with metal paint or a rust-resistant spray will help keep them in top condition through winter.

Remove Heavy Snow

If you experience heavy snowfall, gently clear snow from arches, pergolas, and obelisks to prevent excess weight from damaging them. Agriframes’ robust designs handle typical winters well, but a little bit of TLC can help ensure you enjoy them for many years to come.

Garden structures bring a sense of shape and form to winter gardens, making them distinctive and interesting even in the colder months - By adding Arches, Pergolas, Obelisks, and Gazebos, you create focal points and practical spaces that mean you can enjoy the natural beauty there is to be found at this time of year – whether it supporting winter bloomers or framing pathways and creating cosy retreats, garden structures are a fabulous way  to transform a winter garden.