How to Use a Winter Wonderland Background in WordPress

Once the foliage turns colour in the fall, it’s not uncommon for us to start seeing more and more foliage-related stock images and videos.

The changing colours of the season are beautiful but there is no denying that the amount of green that we see onscreen can be unnerving if you’re not used to it.

It’s easy enough to find images of real forests and jade-coloured hills but wouldn’t it be more magical if the landscape around you was created using computer graphics?

While the autumn/winter season may be associated with snow, sleet, and ice-cream, it’s not difficult to find creative ways to represent the season digitally. For instance, you could use an image of the sun setting over a faux-snow covered landscape or a picture of you in a white dress walking through a field of snow.

With the right image stock and a little bit of ingenuity, you can turn any desktop photo into a winter wonderland. All you need are some trees, a lot of snow, and a warm fire to bring out the romanticism of the season!

The Trees

Any decent landscape photographer will have their own library of tree images. While it’s not strictly necessary to use them all straight away, it’s always a good idea to have lots of options in reserve.

There are a few basic tree shapes to choose from:

• The pine tree – This is the quintessential image of the winter season. The tall and slender conifer is a symbol of endurance and strength. The ability to grow rapidly yet not spread too much makes it ideal for snowy environments. Its needle-like leaves and yellow conkers make it a fitting emblem for the winter holiday season.
• The maple tree – The maple is a common tree native to North America. Its distinctive feature is its clusters of bright yellow flowers in the spring. These flowers are highly attractive to bees and other insects which in turn makes the maple an essential part of the food chain. The seeds from these flowers are also vital for a butterfly’s survival. The yellow and orange autumn colours of the maple are also reminiscent of the precious gems and golden tones of the season.
• The oak tree – The oak is another excellent choice for your winter landscape. Not only do its leaves provide excellent cover for hibernating animals, a warm bed for the winter and a beautiful golden hue, but its wood is also excellent for creating fires!
• The holly tree – The holly tree is one of the most famous native deciduous trees in Britain. It is a symbol of good luck and prosperity due to the fact that it grows rapidly, retains its leaves for a long time, and sheds its branches to make way for the next generation. The white berries that this tree produces in the winter are a major food source for birds and mammals alike.
• The magnolia tree – The magnolia tree is one of the most beautiful and iconic of all the trees. Its oval leaves are a brilliant pale green which is the perfect accent to any living room or dining room.
• The chestnut tree – The shape and colour of the chestnut tree’s leaves change according to the time of day and the angle at which the light hits them. They are often described as the most stunning of all the deciduous trees. Its reddish-brown fruit is also a source of food for wildlife, especially the birds.

Loads of Snow

The snow is another essential part of any winter landscape. While it may not be practical to gather all the snow that falls during the winter, at least have a snow machine or a couple of bags of real snow stored away. This way you can make the most of the white stuff whenever you like!

A nice trick is to add a touch of green to your white snow with some pine trees or evergreen shrubs. You could also try layering white and brown to create a look of old snow that has collected over time or use bright colours to make your snow pop!

Fire

If you really want to invoke the imagery of a wintery atmosphere, nothing says ‘cold’ quite like a roaring fire. It doesn’t have to be in the shape of a traditional log cabin either, you could build yourself a rustic fireplace or arrange several small and highly efficient log-burners.

Once you’ve got your warming fireplace, you can fill it with ferns, pine cones, or any other kind of dry vegetation. The thicker the mix, the better as it will absorb the heat from the flames. Make sure to trim back any dead plant material in the winter to avoid any kind of buildup.

Other than a fireplace, you could make use of some of the previously mentioned trees or shrubs by placing them around the outside of your home in the shape of a natural wintery landscape. This will not only create a unique living space but give off an almost magical atmosphere as you enter your home through the frosted front door.

To end this article, we would like to emphasise the versatility of a winter landscape. While photographing seasons is essential for creating a stunning visual story, remember that you are not limited to just seasons! If you have a special event or anniversary to celebrate, create a unique background by placing a floral motif or a few fairy lights around to evoke the spirit of winter!