Snow may not be the first thing you think about when designing a garden—but maybe it should be. In this episode, Hanna and Sarah dig into the often-overlooked topic of designing landscapes for winter functionality, especially when snow, ice, and de-icers come into play.
Prompted by Hanna’s ongoing “aster disaster,” the conversation explores how plant size, placement, texture, and topography affect where snow goes, how it melts, and what that means for your plants long-term. From winter watering and snow storage zones to de-icers, salt tolerance, and why some plants thrive where others fail, this episode reframes winter as an active design season—not just a dormant one.
Along the way, Hanna and Sarah also celebrate the beauty of plants in snow, talk about winter garden tasks that are actually enjoyable, and share their Plants of the Week—including a surprise Spring Affair sell-out favorite.
Whether you’re shoveling snow, staring at bare ground, or dreaming of spring, this episode will help you think differently about winter in your garden.
Plants Mentioned:
Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)
Birch (Betula spp.)
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’)
Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)
Crabapple (Malus spp.)
Delphinium (Delphinium spp.)
Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Foxtail grass (Setaria spp.)
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Holly (Ilex spp.)
Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
Larch (Larix spp.)
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Maple (Acer spp.)
Oak (Quercus spp.)
Pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens)
Phlox (Phlox spp.)
Pine (Pinus spp.)
Sedges (Carex spp.)
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.)
Sumac (Rhus spp.)
Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
Links:
For early access to new episodes, photos, and other behind the scenes content, join us on Patreon. For $5/month you'll receive exclusive content or early access to podcasts and other resources while supporting our efforts to Plant Nebraska.
Leave us a voicemail or
Email us at arboretum@unl.edu
Follow us @PlantNebraska on Facebook and Instagram
