Designing With Purpose This Year

January sits between stillness and anticipation. The soil is resting, the rain is steady, and the garden feels stripped down to its essentials. It is a month made for dreaming. Not about a bigger garden. Not about a fussier one. About a balanced one that feels beautiful, supports wildlife, and practically takes care of itself.

For us at Yard Surgeons, that always begins with choosing the right native plants.

Here on the North Shore, we are surrounded by species that already know exactly how to thrive in our climate. They do not need constant watering. They do not demand fertilizers. They support birds, bees, and butterflies, and they stay resilient through winter storms.

This month, we are highlighting some of our favourite native plants that offer year-round beauty and function.

1. Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

Best for: Shade, resilience, winter structure

Salal is a true North Shore workhorse. Its deep green, glossy leaves hold steady through winter, and its berries feed local birds. It fills awkward corners, stabilizes slopes, and needs very little from you in return.

Plant it if: You want a lush, low-maintenance groundcover that thrives beneath evergreens.

2. Red-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Best for: Spring colour, hummingbirds

January is the perfect time to plan for early spring beauty. Red-flowering Currant is one of the first shrubs to bloom. By March, it bursts with pink blossoms that draw hummingbirds from every direction.

Plant it if: You want early colour without any fuss.

3. Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

Best for: Texture, movement, winter light

Native grasses add quiet elegance to a yard. Tufted Hairgrass holds its shape through the rain and glows when the low January light catches its seed heads. It brings the soft, natural look of a meadow to even the smallest space.

Plant it if: You want beauty that lasts through every season.

4. Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Best for: Erosion control, sunny spots

Kinnikinnick is tough, low-growing, evergreen, and incredibly dependable. It handles poor soils, full sun, and sloping terrain with no trouble at all. Its small red berries support winter wildlife too.

Plant it if: You want something beautiful and hardy that spreads gently over time.

5. Red Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)

Best for: Dappled shade, pollinator support

Columbine brings a soft, whimsical energy to the garden. Its red and yellow flowers feed hummingbirds and create a natural woodland feel. By fall, its seeds scatter effortlessly and return the next year.

Plant it if: You want seasonal colour that keeps coming back.

6. Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)

Best for: Evergreen structure, west coast character

Sword Fern is iconic to coastal BC. Whether growing on slopes or tucked under cedar and fir, it adds instant depth and a sense of calm to the garden. It thrives in shade and needs almost no maintenance.

Plant it if: You want your yard to feel grounded and evergreen all year.

Design With Intention

January planning is not about adding more plants. It is about choosing plants that make your garden healthier, more resilient, and more beautiful over time. Native species do all of that while reducing maintenance and supporting wildlife.

Let the rain fall and the ideas gather. This is the perfect month to imagine what your garden can become.

Ready to design a native garden that thrives all year?

We are booking Winter and Early Spring Garden Design Consultations for North Vancouver, West Vancouver, and the North Shore.

Let’s build a yard that feels good to live in and good for the planet, visit yardsurgeons.ca.

604-351-3147 | @yard_surgeons