- Geographical location?

- Details of site such as size, aspect and layout? Including any fencing, walls or hedges that may be present, providing a backdrop.

I think vegetable (kitchen) garden can be a good choice for winters. Add some hardscape to your garden. Stones, concrete, glass mosaic are some of the wonderful options here. Take help from professional landscape contractors for this.

You need to add structure and some winter interest. That means including some shrubs (heavily weighted to the evergreen if possible). Dwarf conifers are a great choice but I would not discount something with colored or attractive bark, like shrub dogwoods or something with a winter berry, like Ilex verticillata.

Try posting in the New England Gardening forum for some location specific suggestions.

Where in New England? In most areas of New England there are appropriate broad leafed evergreens, small conifers, and evergreen perennials and groundcovers. Having a photo of the area would be helpful, but right now there is too little info for constructive suggestions.

Hit and run poster :-) This is the only post/activity from this individual so doubt they will be back or much concerned about what responses they may receive.