How do I plan a four-season garden for New Brunswick's Maritime climate?

Planning a four-season garden in New Brunswick means selecting plants that provide visual interest in every season — spring bulbs and early bloomers, summer perennials and annuals, fall foliage and late flowers, and winter structure from evergreens, bark, and seedheads. The Maritime climate with its 120–150 day growing season, heavy snowfall of 250–300cm, and periodic ice storms demands tough, adaptable plants.

Spring (April–May) begins with snowdrops, crocuses, and early daffodils pushing through melting snow. Follow those with tulips, bleeding heart, and Virginia bluebells for colour before perennials emerge. Flowering shrubs like serviceberry (Amelanchier) — a New Brunswick native — produce white blossoms in early May and are among the first woody plants to bloom. Forsythia also performs well in zone 5a coastal areas around Moncton and Saint John.

Summer (June–September) is your showtime. Layer daylilies, black-eyed Susans, bee balm, and purple coneflower for continuous bloom. Add native wild bergamot and New England aster for pollinator value. Ornamental grasses like Karl Foerster feather reed grass provide vertical interest and movement. Hydrangeas — particularly the paniculata types like 'Limelight' — are reliable bloomers in NB's acidic soil and deliver colour from July through frost.

Fall (September–November) is where many NB gardens shine naturally. New England aster and Sedum 'Autumn Joy' carry flowers into October. Choose shrubs with fall foliage colour: red osier dogwood turns deep red, highbush blueberry goes scarlet, and serviceberry offers brilliant orange. Ornamental grasses hit their peak with golden plumes that persist well into winter. Plant fall-blooming anemones for a late surprise before freeze-up.

Winter (December–March) depends on structure and evergreens. Plant white spruce, eastern white cedar, and mugo pine as anchors. Deciduous shrubs with interesting bark — red osier dogwood's crimson stems and yellow-twig dogwood's golden branches — become focal points against snow. Leave ornamental grass plumes and coneflower seedheads standing through winter for texture and bird habitat.

Tie the design together with hardscape elements that look good year-round: a stone path, a well-placed boulder, or a wooden arbour. Professional four-season garden design in New Brunswick typically costs $300 to $1,500 for the plan, with installation running $1,500 to $5,000 or more depending on the garden's size and plant selections. Start with a rough sketch mapping sun exposure through the seasons — NB's low winter sun angle means areas sunny in July may be shaded by December.

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