Northeastern Pennsylvania winters can be brutal on landscaping and discourage even the most optimistic homeowner from going beyond evergreens as the primary outside decorating element. But local landscapers offer some tips on how to design the yard for the best year-round presentation.

One solution for spicing up the year-round look of the yard is to make use of non-organic elements, such as stone. An attractive stone wall or walkway can go a long way in setting the scene, not to mention adding significant value to a home.

Giulio Tomassetti, owner of Stoneworks Plus in Wilkes-Barre, does a lot of work with fieldstone, stack walls and flagstone patios, which have become increasingly popular in the past few years.

“Another way to make it look attractive is to create raised plant and flower beds,” Tomassetti said.

Retaining walls for raised flower and plant beds also can contain lighting built into the wall for better effect. Well-placed lighting can highlight interesting architecture on a home’s exterior, Tomassetti said.

Some lighting products look just like concrete pavers but can be built in with the regular concrete pavers on patios and sidewalks for subtle yet spectacular lighting effects.

“It’s not that expensive, especially considering the effect it can have,” Tomassetti said.

Landscaping prices, of course, run the gamut, and even the price of a stone wall can vary vastly depending on which type of stone is chosen.

Dave Rosenko, owner of Summit Landscaping in Dallas, said texture also can spice up year-round landscaping.

Color, height, texture and contrast are the four main elements to keep in mind when designing for the outdoors, Rosenko said.

In the old days, everyone put the same color, texture and height around their home, he said, but modern landscaping calls for variety.

Texture can be evident in density or looseness of plants. An interesting design element is to juxtapose a dense, compact, spreading plant such as yew with the loose and flowing style of ornamental grass, Rosenko said.

“Contrast is what everyone sees,” Rosenko said.

That includes contrasting by height: Larger plants go in the rear, and then the rest are tiered down according to how high they grow.

For those taking on landscaping without a professional, Rosenko said, it is important to keep some basic standards in mind.

For example, know the mature size of a plant or shrub and plant it properly so it is not too close to the house or other plants so as to cause obstruction in the future. Homeowners often make the mistake of not having the proper size plant for a particular spot, with no knowledge of how it will grow in the future.

Designing an attractive year-round landscape means taking a variety of factors into account: It requires a lot more research and knowledge than simply picking out what seems to look good.

Rosenko keeps a lot of information in mind when designing landscapes.

“Knowing what type of soil conditions there are is important. Is it wet? Can the plant take the wetness? Or is it extremely dry and not much rain due to a tree canopy? Is it shady or sunny? If a plant does not make it through a season it could be in the wrong spot,” Rosenko said.

Other things he keeps in mind: Pine trees drop needles, which makes the soil acidic and potentially harmful to some plants. Rhododendrons and azaleas do not like too much wind and can get wind-burned.

Evergreens are a staple in the Northeastern Pennsylvania region because they are sturdy and can stand the environment, and when the ground is covered with snow, not much can be done to make a yard look attractive. However, for other times of the year, flowering shrubs and perennial flowers that bloom in different months can keep a lawn looking good no matter the season.