Winter Blooms

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;

if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

-Anne Bradstreet

There is little more cheering than the first blooms of the season.  
Late winter bloomers, rising out of the cold, gray earth,
are some of the most endearing. 
Since their flowers are generally modest, it's a good idea to
plant them where they will be viewed from close proximity. 

 

These crocuses, which came with our home, are located along the rear fence of our yard.  While it's certainly worth the trip to enjoy their beauty, the reality is that I'll make that trek once or perhaps twice.  Better to site them along a well used path where they'll brighten your every coming and going.

Many front gardens near our home in Slovakia had Snowdrops (Galanthus).  The first sight of dainty white "Snezienky" on daily walks to school never failed to add a spring to my step - a sure sign that winter was losing its grip. 

It's easy to find close up pictures of the unique and photogenic "crepe papery" Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) flowers.  I've always been curious about the overall appearance of the shrub in bloom, but had never been at the right place at the right time.  This year, I went looking.   

Although Hershey Gardens is closed for the season, these specimens are conveniently placed just inside the fence along the road (see also top photo).  Their bright color was readily visible as I drove by in spite of the delicate scale of the flowers, set off by the evergreen background.  The persistent leaves contribute to a somewhat gangly appearance, but what welcome blooms in the midst of winter!

Bright yellow Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) makes a nice show beneath a tree.

Hellebore (Helleborus) is another popular winter bloomer, with the benefit of evergreen foliage - see Evergreen Groundcovers.  While I don't have a photo of Helleborus blooms, Deb's Garden does and Carolyn's Shade Gardens has a wealth of information on them.

Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. 

~Ellis Peters

Winter Beauty

Shorter winter days make it
easier to greet the dawn
and capture a stunning sunrise.

The drab of winter may seem pervasive.  Granted, we have to look a bit harder, but there is beauty to be seen, if only we'll adjust our focus so we don't miss it. 
 

Seeing is a gift that comes with practice.
-  Stephanie Mills  

Look for the pop of color berries bring.

Savor snowy details transforming the simplest scene...

  and tracing sculptural branches.

Inspect ice's glittery glow.

 

Spot abstract ice art. 

Do you see a bird in this scene formed by ice on my deck? 

Learn to see,

and then you'll know that there is

no end to the new worlds of our vision.

- Carlos Castaneda

Let little touches bring a smile.

See subtle color shimmer in the sunlight.

The real voyage of discovery consists

not in seeking new landscapes

but in having new eyes.

- Marcel Proust

Adjust your focus and enjoy the beauty around you.

The Promise of Spring

Where man sees but withered leaves,

God sees sweet flowers growing.

~Albert Laighton

In the deep of winter,

Signs of spring fill me with hope.

Evergreen Shrubs

Winter can be bleak in the garden.  The boisterous summer and fall colors are long gone and things may be looking forlorn.  That's why the "bones" of a garden are so important.  "Bones" are elements that provide structure even in the winter (See Signature Gardens excellent post on "bones" here).  As I was touring my neighborhood seeking out examples for this post, I saw a house looking decidedly bare, with no shrubs in sight.  While summer may be a different story, there was nothing to cheer in the dead of winter.  On the other hand, the house pictured above looks snug and welcoming with a generous and varied helping of evergreens.

While the winter garden can't compete with the lively summer show, you can have year round interest by including elements with a winter presence.  Evergreen shrubs are an excellent part of the picture and there are many options that go beyond the yews of yesteryear. 

Spreading Yew (Taxus repandens) is low growing with attractive arching branches, and won't grow out of bounds like other yews.  It's unfortunate that their lovely form is sometimes pruned into sheared balls. 

Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo) is a shrub with several dwarf cultivars (including 'Mops', 'Slowmound' and 'Paul's Dwarf') that grow to about 3' tall. 

Gold Mop False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mops') offers vibrant foliage with a feathery texture.  This dwarf cultivar grows to about 3'.

Dwarf Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis') is a slow growing shrub with a pyramidal form for an upright element.

This large Golden Hinoki Cypress (perhaps Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea' or 'Goldilocks' - 'Confucious' is a shorter variety) is a nice accent to Pieris japonica and Blue Spruce. 

Scotch Broom (Cytisus x praecox) is looking bright and full in December, with a unique texture.  This is a good example of the importance of botanical names - resources indicate that Cytisus x praecox is not invasive, while Cytisus scoparius is extremely invasive - read about it here.

This variegated Euonymus shrub (Euonymus fortunei cultivar) is a nice looking specimen -Euonymus shrubs generally don't have a uniform habit and can look unkempt.

This Cherry Laurel cultivar, perhaps 'Otto Luyken' (Prunus laurocerasus 'Otto Luyken'), has a nice scale- UConn Plant Data Base indicates a height of about 4 feet. 
Thanks to Carolyn of Carolyn's Shade Gardens for the correction.

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata) is a versatile broadleaf evergreen shrub with a nice uniform shape and a fine texture.  There are a number of good cultivars including 'Green Luster' and 'Helleri'.

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) is another medium sized shrub with beautiful lustrous leaves, although it's leggy nature calls for some layering.

Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' is a fastigiate upright Japanese Holly cultivar.

Evergreen is a misnomer for these azaleas, which bring beautiful color to the winter landscape.

Pieris japonica is another bright spot of color. A number of cultivars, such as 'Mountain Fire,' have red new growth.

Prague Viburnum (Viburnum 'Pragense') seems to be more reliably evergreen in zone 6 than Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum). 

This is a beautiful specimen of Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) shining in the midwinter.

More evergreen shrubs which are featured in my Fall Fruit post (click here to see it) are:

• Firethorn (Pyracantha)
• Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina)
• Hollies (Ilex x meserveae)

Another classic broadleaf evergreen, Boxwood (Buxus), is pictured in my Christmas Accents post (click here to see it).

To see more foliage in Foliage Follow-up posts from around the world, visit Digging.

Evergreen shrubs will help give your garden structure to brighten those bleak winter months.