I’m so glad we planted some winter interest within the sight lines of my winter vantage points. Over morning coffee, I spy the first patch of snowdrops to open. Is there any better way to start a January morning?
Winter Protection
While there’s more elbow room in the beds, spreading a 2-3 inch layer of mulch is easier now than at any other time. It insulates the garden & provides a tidy backdrop for all those early bulbs that are getting ready to burst into life. The effort this month pays BIG dividends over & over again through the entire year.
photo by SVSeekins
photo by SVSeekins
If it does happen to snow, get out there with a wee broom & shake off the cold, wet weight from the evergreens. Start with clearing lower branches, so their load is gone before the snow drops from the upper branches. Rhodos are particularly susceptible to breaking.
As long as it isn’t frozen, the rains have softened the ground for digging, so it’s easy to stomp the edger between the beds & lawns. This protects the beds from the grass’ invading as soon as the lawn starts to grow again in February.
Celebrate the occasional sunny weekend, but don’t be fooled. January is contrary, and cold snaps are still likely to visit.
photo by SVSeekins
Pruning
Hellebore are prepping their blooms for the new year, but some older foliage can detract from the show. Trim back the ragged or blackened leaves.
It’s almost shocking to see the blooming Hardy Fuchsia react to a snow flurry. The poor thing withers the moment a flake touches it. But no fear – it’s really only hibernating. Just the same, I trim back the skeleton & dream of the renewed spring growth.
The evergreen Strawberry Tree blooms & bears fruit right up until the snowfall too. When it’s hibernating is the time I like to tidy up any unwieldy branches.
This is all good, but seriously – – prioritize mulching above the rest. When that’s done, be happy & relax with a good book for the rest of the month.
photo by SVSeekins
Veg / Berry Patch (& Orchard)
It’s astonishing how well some vegetables survive in the cool if protected from soggy ground: kale… chard… leeks…
This is all good, but seriously – – prioritize mulching above the rest. When that’s done, be happy & relax with a good book for the rest of the month. Seriously!
🙂
photo by SVSeekins
Seasonal Color
trees: holly… mountain ash… paper bark cherry… paper bark maple… Twisty Baby (dwarf Black Locust)… shrubs: . sarcococca… viburnum bodnantense…. winter camellia… jasmine… pyracantha (firethorn)… beauty berry (callacarpa)… witch hazel.. heavenly bamboo … berberis… cotoneaster… mahonia… snowberry… rosemary… dragon claw willow… perennials: early hellebore… variegated yucca… Chinese lantern… hens & chicks, sedums… bulbs: snowdrops… eranthis (winter aconite)… iris reticulata… early cyclamen coum… early crocus… early narcosis… ferns: Hart’s tongue fern… sword… deer… licorice…
Longest Night has past, and each day is getting just a little bit longer than the last. The mornings sport a thick frost in Victoria this week, but happily no snow.
photo by SVSeekins
As a reward for braving our winter chill, the snowdrops smile up at me .
Life springs eternal. 🙂
They’re snuggled under some cozy leaves, but I’m sure they’ll be even happier when I add a layer of mulch in the coming week.
photo by SVSeekins
And believe it or not – – there’s more! The first cyclamen coum bloom of the season.
Granted it is super tiny…
and you have to put on special glasses to see it…
but it’s there!
I found a big fistful of orangey-red tomatoes. They made good snacks, although weren’t as tasty as the sun-warmed-super-red tomatoes we enjoyed in September.
But what impressed me was how many green tomatoes survived on those naked vines through October. (Unfortunately, they taste gross. )
photo by SVSeekins
What is there to do with 1 pound (600 g) of green tomatoes?
The fruit sat on our counter for a few days as I searched out the recipe… and wouldn’t you know a few more tomatoes turned red!
I ate them 🙂
photo by SVSeekins
Soon there weren’t enough green tomatoes to make the recipe…. so I continued with the experiment…
By the end of November & I’d had treats all month. It’s a wonder what those full spectrum fluorescent lights do!
photo by SVSeekins
I’d decided to hold out to see if the last couple turn color. Can you believe – – They did!! Granted, they were puny & a bit wrinkled – – but they turned red.
🙂
Well, I did eat a couple in mid December, but the last few went on top of the compost pile.
Maybe they’ll volunteer!
Maybe they’ll grow into even more productive tomatoes in the spring.!!
Who knows?
🙂
Garden Variety Life 