Frankie, I understand the dilemma you are describing. A very brown lawn flanked with perfectly trimmed evergreen bushes offends the eye. Some homeowners hate the look of Bermuda grass in the winter and overseed with annual rye, a practice which is not recommended for a healthy lawn. And about this time of year everyone is out 'murdering' their Crape myrtles which adds to the stark scene. I note that on the west coast many are installing artificial lawns for appearance and drought conditions. This may be the wave of the future. There is a nasty battle shaping up between GA, FL and TN over water rights. Climate changes may make us rethink southern landscaping.

But, this does not answer your question, nor do I know if there is an answer short of removing Bermuda/Centipede lawns and turning the space into evergreen shrub gardens with hardscape.

Thanks, nandina; I know I was doing more musing than having a clear question. I have just been surprised by how much I don't like some of the typical dark green shrubbery arrangements with the tan lawns, when one might suppose that greenery would be just what was recommended to provide winter interest.

frankie - your dislike has birthed a new industry - lawn "paint" (pigments that last 4 months)

http://www.gemplers.com/product/109954/Green-Lawnger-1-Liter

I have not used this stuff (don't have lawn) but they just featured it on our local news this week.

Or, go more brown for the winter - use more ornamental grasses that will be brown at the same time - autumn joy sedum would hold it's flower heads at brown in your zone - add more copper / earthtones (red or yellow twig dogwoods) - all sorts of "earthy" looks for winter.

faerygardener, that is the idea. That surprisingly it is MORE brown stuff (not all brown really, but in that color family) that looks good in the winter. And, I've started paying attention more to the transition to the lawn. Not to give up green stuff--evergreens, especially broadleaf, are a hugely useful garden element in my climate--but to think more about where it goes and what goes next to it.

I think that a darker mulch (dark brown or charcoal) makes the landscape look better during the dormant lawn times rather than pine straw or a natural(tan) mulch. Also, groups of deciduous shrubs (rather than falling apart periennials)keep things in order and provide islands of interest during the winter. Ornamantal grasses are the same buff color, provide unity and look good if there is some separation between them and the lawn.

Hardscape also can break up the overwhelming negative buff area. It helps to have natural stone that is not buff color. It can either be significantly lighter or darker in color to tie in with the house or the rest of the landscape.

Well frankie I understand as I'm in the foothills of CA - we generally don't see any rain from April through November. Our surrounding areas turn solid brown by June. So although this is a winterscaping issue for you - for me it's a push to have my new landscape blend in more with the surroundings . New home, new landscape - in the planning stages. Intellectually like blending in to the surrounding area - emotionally attached to a lot of color and plants I grew in my previous zone 9 sunset 14 garden. Still working the balance.

Here in Fescue country - NE zone 6, the lawns get yellow-green during winter. During dry winters, lawns gets beige, but that's its natural life cycle. But that only makes spring that more exciting, to see everything come out of dormancy.

Other beige plants that will complement your yard are the dried flowers of PG hyrdangeas and sedums. Tavida hydrangea has a great architectrual structure and some beige flowers even after heavy snows.

Most evergreens get a few shades darker and lose their spring and summer looks. Leucothe is a great plant that keeps it color and structue. Manahatten eunoymous also keeps its bright green color in the winter...almost too bright green.

If the lawn looks bad for a significant part of the year, why not make it smaller? Most lawns are too big anyway, especially for the avid gardener.

Frankie: I know what you mean. When I started researching "winter interest" it seems like there is information devoted toward colder climates where snow cover is common and warmer climates where there are a lot of plants that will stay green and even flower during winter. Here is the middle ground, perennials die back and lawns go dormant but we do not have the snow cover to hide it and we cannot keep our gardens going year round.

What I have started to do is to wait for some dry days after we have gotten a few good freezes (usually late December) and get out and tidy up my beds and apply mulch. I like the shredded leaf mulch I can get free from the county (Fairfax). It is a good time of year to edge beds (if I can get motivated and have enough daylight hours). I have found that this makes the beds (even if they are void of plants) more of a highlight. A bed that is full of perennials, shrubs and evergreens during the summer can look decent with the bare shrubs and splashes of color from the evergreens during the winter.

- Brent

I think it is a good thing that you think about these types of things , this is what stretches your mind in landscaping. Fall colors are beautiful, what looks beautiful with bermuda? well, usually, in the south they plant alot of maples and ornamental grasses etc. the point is that you are thinking, that is a good thing.