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It is not too early to begin thinking about efficiency in the upcoming cold weather. Planting small evergreen shrubs on the northwest corner of your house is an effective and attractive method to reduce cold air infiltration into your house. The prevailing winter winds are typically from the northwest. Being small and on the northwest corner, the shrubs will not block the winter sun from shining on the walls. Now is a good time to get the plants in the ground. I have several boxwoods planted at my own house.
The area along the top of the foundation (sill) is a common area of air leakage into may homes so make sure that you select shrubs that have foliage all the way down to the the ground or near it. You do not have to plant many shrubs. Just a few around the corner will deflect the wind at the corner itself. They will also create enough turbulence in the wind to reduce its direct force a long distance down both the north and west walls.