designing with the seasons: creating year-round beauty in your landscape
living in the western suburbs of chicago—naperville, plainfield, batavia, geneva, wheaton, downers grove, lisle—we're lucky enough to experience all four seasons in their full expression. and honestly, it's one of my favorite things about designing landscapes here. each season has a unique energy, a different kind of beauty, and when a yard is thoughtfully designed to reflect those changes, it becomes more than just a pretty backdrop—it becomes a living, breathing part of your life.
spring – awakening and possibility
spring is like the earth’s deep inhale. it’s that time when everything starts to wake up—buds swell, birds come back, the soil softens, and the air smells like rain and green things. symbolically, spring is all about fresh starts and renewal. it brings a sense of hope that’s hard to put into words. in the landscape, i like to capture that energy by using early bloomers like viburnum, serviceberries, and forsythia. they kick off the season with soft whites and cheerful yellows. bulbs like daffodils , grape hyacinth, and tulips pop up and disappear adding to the beauty. the textures are soft, the colors are gentle but bright, and the whole yard feels like it’s coming back to life. i always make sure to include perennials and shrubs that bloom in staggered waves, so you get layers of beauty from march through may.
summer – abundance and celebration
summer is when your yard hits its stride. everything is growing, blooming, buzzing, and producing. the symbolism of summer is rooted in fullness—abundance, joy, connection. it’s when we gather with friends, eat outside, play in the yard, and stay out late under the stars. in the garden, this means vibrant color, lush textures, and multi-sensory experiences. fragrant lilacs might be fading, but echinacea, calamintha, salvia, alliums, and hardy geranium are just getting started. ornamental grasses are growing tall, and vegetables are thriving in raised beds or tucked into sunny corners. pollinators are everywhere—bees, butterflies, hummingbirds—so i always design with plants which support wildlife and use organic means to encourage them. summer landscapes are alive and joyful, filled with movement and color that feels like a celebration of life.
fall – reflection and transition
fall is a vibe of its own. the air gets crisp, the light gets golden, and the garden slows down in the most beautiful way. symbolically, fall is about reflection and gratitude. everything you planted in spring and nurtured through summer is now offering its final burst of beauty. trees like sugar maples, serviceberries, and oaks light up with fiery reds, oranges, and golds. perennials like asters, goldenrod, and sedum add late-season color while grasses put on a spectacular show as their seed heads catch the sunlight. fall is when texture takes center stage—rustling leaves, fuzzy seed pods, crisp air. it’s the perfect time to add in natural elements like boulders, rustic pathways, or cozy fire pit areas that invite you to slow down and take it all in. fall reminds us that beauty can be bold and fleeting, and that’s part of what makes it so powerful.
winter – rest and resilience
winter is often overlooked in landscape design, but it’s honestly one of the most grounding seasons when you lean into it. symbolically, winter is about rest, resilience, and quiet strength. the garden may look still, but so much is happening below the surface—roots growing, seeds lying in wait, the soil resting. designing for winter means thinking about structure, silhouette, and subtle textures. evergreens like boxwood, arborvitae, or pines give form to the garden and help it feel alive even in january. ornamental grasses, hydrangea heads, and seedpods left standing catch snow and look magical when frosted. bark color and texture, like the red of dogwood or the peeling bark of river birch, become visual stars. wildlife becomes more noticeable—birds visiting feeders, footprints in the snow—and the garden feels peaceful and sacred. it’s a reminder that rest is part of the cycle, not the end of it.
when you design a landscape that honors all four seasons, it becomes more than just a pretty space—it becomes a reflection of the natural world and your place within it. whether you’re in naperville or any of the surrounding suburbs, i’d love to help you create a yard that connects you to the rhythm of the year and brings something beautiful to every season.