We’ve had some warmish temperatures (in the high 30’s, low 40’s) over the last few days and the snow is melting rapidly, exposing some of the early Spring bulbs. They will certainly get blasted again by the cold and snow because winter is NOT over for us yet! Despite that, it is a sign that things will be looking up before too long.
Daffodils just poking up.
The snowdrops even show signs of budding. What might be hiding under the snow in your garden?
Today is a beautiful sunny day. Cold, but definitely an encouraging day to go out and get some fresh air. The camera went along and we took some pictures to show why winter is another wonderful season around here. Above, the shrubs and grasses wear little snow berets!
This year I didn’t cut The Blues (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘The Blues’) back before winter. I often cut the whole bunch and use them as decorations in the house, in vases or on wreaths, but I wanted to see what their winter interest would be this year. I love the way the grass goes from green through blues through grayish-purples throughout the year and its contrast against the snow is very pretty.
And then there are the blueberry bushes! You can just see the little reddish buds, all ready to burst into bloom when the time is right. Oooh, I can just taste those berries now!
And finally, the Cabaret grass (Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus ‘Cabaret’) – full and dramatic in its golden winter coloring against the snow. I must remember to cut this grass down early as it will shatter all over the place in the Spring winds. But for now, Cabaret is awesome next to the big rock.
What is interesting in your garden now?
After a long hiatus to immerse ourselves in the earth with garden design, planting, and then maintenance, the outdoor gardening has finally come to a halt for the time being. The holidays have passed and a new year (and a new decade) has burst upon us and awakened our crafty brains. We’re in the process of updating all of our websites, trying out new sites for marketing our craft products (more on this in another post), thinking of new craft products to make, and, yes, checking out the myriad of seed catalogs to see what is new and making lists of seeds to order. We’re also tucking away ideas for garden designs. This is all in addition to normal daily life, cooking yummy foods from our freezer stock and trying not to turn into a blob. In short, we’re NOT hibernating!
Keeping busy is a powerful antidote to the seasonal depression that strikes in January and February for some of us. Finding tasks that must be thought about, mulled over, and brought to reality pushes away the darkness and sadness that threatens to drown us. Getting outside to breathe the fresh air, admiring the sunlight glinting off the snow, feeling the swish of the snow under your skis, hearing the birds chirping and chipping all help to chase those demons away.
What are you doing to keep busy?
And just to remind you what will be coming up in a few short months:
