A Touch of Winter in February

About 6:30 in the morning, I peeked outside at this winter wonderland, then hurried out to take pictures. The snow didn't stick around for very long. By 9:15 the sun was out and the scene was quickly melting away. It was beautiful while it lasted.

It's That Uncertain Time of Year

This morning the sun is shining brightly and the garden is sparkling. This is the time of year when Mother Nature gives us those brief hints of what we gardeners are all anxiously awaiting – Spring! But first, she toys with us as she did yesterday when the day started off with gray skies dropping a slushy mix that promptly turned to snow and back to rain. There were even a few dry periods in the mix and the sun was permitted to peek through the clouds now and then. It was winter, then spring, then winter, etc. Today’s weather is supposed to bring more of the same, but at least this day has a sunny beginning!

Still snuggled among their sturdy leaves, daffodil buds are beginning to show. They are ready to burst forth with a mass of color on our first really warm and sun filled day. I know just how they feel. I’ll turn my face up to greet the rays of sunshine, stand tall, and relish the warmth penetrating to the depths of my being. My winter-weary muscles will move easier and I’ll feel a renewed desire to be one with my garden. There is nothing like the energy that comes directly from the sun!

SEVERAL DAYS OF SUNSHINE - TIME TO LUST AFTER NEW PLANTS

Soon, there will be a multitude of plant sales and gardening shows filled to the brim with plants begging for a new home and I will be there - vulnerable and filled with uncontrollable desire to take them home and not even consider whether there is space available. I wrote the following article several years ago and my son, Matthew, created the images. It is just as relevant today as it was then, and I'm hoping reading it will jog my memory and help me keep my desire for new plants in check.

WHEN DID MY GARDEN BECOME A FASHION STATEMENT?

For years I have been digging, planting, rearranging, and enjoying the fruits of my labor. I have carefully selected plants that catch my eye and placed them in my own little corner of the world without giving much thought to whether my additions fit this year’s definition of “Garden Fashion”. My garden has been the one respite I can count on to take me away from a world filled with dictatorial “ins” and “outs”.

Discovering plants that I enjoy and finding places to plant them is what motivates me to get out there and painfully rediscover every muscle in my aging body. When plant conflicts surface, the offenders are relocated to areas where they can live in harmony with their neighbors. If they are sickly or cannot get along with others, they are quickly dispatched. Whether any of the plants are on any current favorable list is of no significance. I want comfort and contentment in the garden and a place to share with friends who are equally content to be here.

February Hellebores on Parade

Snowdrops and Crocus

I can always count on snowdrops in January. Their buds peek out from under the mulch signaling that daylight hours are increasing and spring is only a few weeks away. By the first week in February, flowers are fully open and some crocus are beginning to bloom while others are just beginning to emerge.

Hellebores awaken in Mid-January

When Hellebores begin to poke through the mulch, I know the garden floor will not remain a quiet blanket of mulch much longer. Plump buds will continue to rise from the ground until there is an explosion of color in February. These plants do not require much care, brighten my winter days, and the evergreen foliage looks good after the flowers fade away in late spring. I do cut the flower stalks off before the seeds ripen. Otherwise, I want to keep all of the babies and that doesn't fit into my plan of downsizing my garden.