Winter Design
Published Date: Jan 7, 2015
While you might think there isn't much to think about when it comes to the winter months and your outdoor living design, there is quite a lot to consider. Make sure to take the time to consider the cold winter months and where you live when you are planning your design. It is easy to focus on spending time outdoors with the blooms of spring, chirping birds, baby animals and the vibrant colors of the season, forgetting about winter all together. However, if you take the time to think about it during your design phase you will appreciate your outdoor living space all year long. If you live in a region that deals with snow and ice on a regular basis you will want to consider the width of that new driveway.
The wider the driveway the more money you will save on plowing. The plow truck needs to be able to get in for snow removal and maneuver around in your driveway, making sure they can get through and not damage your walkways and landscaping.
Consider the height of the landscaping around the driveway area. It can be difficult for the snow management company to see smaller plantings especially covered under snow. Try and keep the smaller plants away from the driveway edging and instead place them in highly visible area.
Make sure the walkways have an even surface so that snow shovels don’t catch sharp edges and destabilize the pavers.
And avoid placing gates or lighting right next to the driveway if possible. This will help the snow management service to get in and out quickly without damaging any of your property. It can be challenging to see the edging and driveway when it is all under a blanket of white snow. Make sure you have a photo of your driveway in case you need to share with the snow removal company so they know where curves or tricky areas of your driveway might be before plowing.
While many homeowners continue to use their hot tub, barbecues and fireplaces in winter you want to make sure that you have appropriate lighting and pathways installed to make accessing these areas easier in the winter months. Consider planting ornamental grasses to bring visual interest to the area, this can be a beautiful setting even when covered with snow.
When creating a walkway design make sure you use pavers for the pathway. They thaw fairly quickly and have contoured edges so your shoes have a better grip when walking in snowy and slippery weather.
When designing your fire pit make sure that there is drainage included in the design. If water is allowed to sit in the fire pit and the temperature drops below freezing the water could expand and break apart the structure. Make sure that you always try and remove standing water.
Follow these simple winter tips and you will have an outdoor living space that you will enjoy all year long.
