Well- the best thing to look for is plants that have good bark color, berries, or if you like them, evergreens/pines. My favorite plants for winter are dogwoods- planting a couple of dogwood shrubs, one with yellow bark and one with red is very attractive during the winter, bringing some nice color into your all white(read snow covered) and brown yard!

Karen :)

Oh definately the Red Twig Dogwood! But watch it and make sure you prune it because it really is a fast grower.

Welcome Marie, to Minnesota (and the Minnesota forum)!

Many ornamental grasses hold up well into the winter, like the miscanthus. Dwarf conifers of all types are good, like Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana' (and other C.p. cultivars), the many dwarf Picea abies cultivars, and the pines that turn yellow in winter and back to green in summer like this (scroll down). The right cultivars of boxwood will be hardy here, as well as rhododendrons too. And plumes of dried hydrangea heads provide great winter interest.

One of my favorite trees for winter interest is Larix kaempferi 'Diane', the contorted Japanese larch. This tree has wonderful visual interest/form during the winter months. Actually, this tree is beautiful in every season and I highly recommend adding this tree to your landscape.
Mike

I love to see the seed pods standing out of the snow. My favorites are: Mondarda (Bee Balm), and Rudbeckia (Cone Flower), both come in a variety of colors. Check out the native plants, many have nice seed pods besides being fun to grow.

Pauline