This windbreak features a toyon tree, a redbud bush and native grasses. (Photo by Pamela Noemsie) Western redbud can be used to make a windbreak. (Photo by Pamela Noensie) Toyon is a great option for ...

Winter can be brutal on a garden. One day it’s crisp and calm, the next it’s a full-blown arctic blast tearing through your backyard like it’s on a mission to ruin everything you planted last summer.

If strong winds are damaging your garden — for example, breaking branches, pulling moisture from foliage and drying out the soil — consider planting a living windbreak. A living windbreak is a group ...