The Great Snowtastrophe certainly caused a lot of headaches and woe, but believe it or not, all that white stuff can be a boon to the landscape.  Besides insulating from extreme temperatures and soaking moisture into the soil to prep for spring, it is a great design tool! What the heck does a snowfall have to do with landscape design, you ask?  Well, it covers up potentially distracting details and creates a perfect opportunity to look at the big picture in your outdoor space. 

A white blanket of snow allows you to clearly see the lines of the landscape, areas of dramatically different texture, and masses of trees and shrubbery that frame views.  Next snowfall (IN FIVE YEARS!!!!!), suit yourself up till you can’t lower your arms, put on your cleats, go out into your yard and look around. 

Look at areas you see every day, paying special attention to entrances and exits.  Without traffic, you can safely walk in the road and see what visitors see as they arrive at your house!  Look for the landscape lines.  What do they point to?  Look for masses of vegetation at the edges of open areas.  What’s the picture in that frame?  If there is not anything to interest or excite you, go inside, make yourself some cocoa, and get settled in with books, magazines, or the good old internet! 

 Now how’s that for a silver lining to the snow clouds?