Kevin’s Winter Garden that Supports Wildlife

Kevin winter garden. A brief context to set expectations.

Kevin winter garden: Quick notes

Happy Monday GPODers!

The month of March has arrived and (even if it doesn’t look it or feel it where you are) spring is on the horizon. It can be easy to bemoan the remaining cold and lingering snow, but there is plenty to still be appreciated, and valuable insight to be gathered from our subdued landscapes that will soon be coming to life with spring activity. For gardeners like Kevin Kelly  in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Zone 7a), the winter garden holds its own beauty and purpose that can make it just as magical as any other time of year. Kevin is a frequent contributor who has shared his wildlife-friendly garden many times over the years (Check out some of his previous submissions: Kevin’s Pennsylvania Garden in November, Kevin’s Garden in 2025, Kevin’s Garden Prepares for Winter, Wonderful Fall Colors in the Mid-Atlantic, Textures in the Late Summer Garden, Kevin’s Hellebore Collection, and so many more). His landscape is a treasure trove for the humans that get to see it and the wildlife and beneficial bugs that enjoy its shelter and food sources, and that doesn’t stop during the winter months.

To see even more of Kevin’s incredible garden, check him out on Instagram: @kevin_kelly_ecological_garden

I live in a suburban development on 1/3rd acre. Winter is a wonderful time to evaluate the structure of the garden. I have lived here for 30 years and have spent time creating garden layers. These provide habitat for many insects and small mammals, which has resulted in an abundance of birds (as well as fox, owls and the occasional hawk). The winter landscape is also quite beautiful. These photos were taken in mid-February.

The front yard and house as viewed from the street. I do not cut back perennials in autumn (Stay the Stems) as the flower heads provide seeds and the stems and other browned material provide shelter. You can see that the hellstrip is planted as well.

A compact lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana ‘Compacta’, Zones 4–8) grown as a small multi-stemmed tree. 25 years old, and about 18 feet tall, the bark is beautiful and stands out in winter. It is planted where it is visible from our family room to enjoy. The branches are fairly open so birds love to perch within this tree.

This is the side yard on the east as viewed from the street. Despite the smallish yard and having houses on all sides, the mix of evergreen and deciduous trees restrict the views and make the garden appear larger than it is.

It is so important to provide water throughout the winter. I have no natural sources nearby, so I have 3 heated birdbaths and one heated small “pond” (65 gallon plastic pond sunk into the ground) to provide a sufficient supply of water for any visiting wildlife.

The bark of oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia, Zones 5–9) is stunning in winter. Oakleaf hydrangeas are true four-season shrubs, and the twisted, exfoliating bark really adds to the winter landscape. When buying one, choose the right size, as you rarely want to prune these beautiful shrubs.

I have found that thick, glazed ceramic pots overwinter quite well and last 15 years or so. This one has a dwarf mountain hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata, Zones 6–9) in the container. I have found that mountain hydrangea, smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens, Zones 3–9), and panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata, Zones 3–8) are 3 species that are quite cold hardy and overwinter well in containers outside, even when we get down to 0°F in some winters (while we have been upgraded to zone 7a, we still have had a couple of winters where we were more like our old 6b).

View from the backyard on the west side looking toward the driveway. Japanese umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata, Zones 5–8) on the right, and columnar Norway spruce (Picea abies ‘Cupressina’, Zones 2–7) restrict the view. This is the only grass path on the west side. I love how the bright brown color of Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, Zones 3–8) spills out, edging the path.

View of the front garden. The garage is on the left. This flagstone path, barely visible, breaks up a substantial bed for easy access and serves as a shortcut from the driveway to the front door walkway. Plants are left standing for the winter.

View from the back corner of my property looking toward the shed and my house. Paperbark maple (Acer griseum, Zones 4–8), another tree with awesome bark, is prominent. Winter is perfect to evaluate the garden layers, especially the structural layer comprising trees, shrubs and large perennials.

Standing in my neighbors yard, looking at the shed and side yard. The driveway is on the left. I love the accent color of the door and shutter on the shed (it matters the exterior doors to our house).

Thank you so much for sharing these gorgeous photos of your winter wonderland with us, Kevin! Your garden is a marvel to see in every season, and an inspiration for all of us who aspire to have a more positive impact on our environment.

The countdown to spring as really begun, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate our calm and quiet winter landscapes while they last. Please consider sharing your snowy garden scenes, late winter blooms, and enchanting evergreen foliage with the blog. Follow the NEW directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!

We want to see YOUR garden!

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.

You can also send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

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