First Dusting of Snow

We are now into our third snowfall here in northern Virginia so before we proceed with current weather updates, I invite you to compare the following photos with those from my last post in mid-December

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

Echinacea (coneflower)

and you will see just what a little dusting of snow will do for a garden.

While some people might think a garden left uncut looks wild and unkempt

Seed heads of coneflower

I have become more relaxed in my attitude about fall 'clean-up'.

It isn't the neatest nor the most 'manicured' gardening style

Rosa 'flower carpet red'

but it sure does encourage a second look, once the white stuff comes along.

What do you think?

Aster

Would you rather a garden be cut all the way back in the fall to eliminate the remaining dead stalks?

Agastache (Anise hyssop) seed heads

Or do you, like me, appreciate a landscape highlighted by this natural beauty?

My area is now in the beginning stages of a Nor'easter that is making its way up the coast from South Carolina to Maine.

Rose hips

There will be perhaps six inches of snow here, when all is said and done--which is not much, when we take into account the amount of snow southern states have recently received and the amount predicted for places north of here.

ANY amount of snow is exciting here, however, as the birds never fail to make an appearance in the garden. In my next post, I'll introduce our avian visitors that have stopped by during the past week. Here's a sneak peek:

Pileated Woodpecker on suet feeder

*This post is being linked to Nancy Bond's blog Leaping Greenly, for the 'First Snowfall Project' which she hosts each winter. Be sure to hop over there to see first snowfall garden photos from around the world!


Today I am thankful for the first dusting of snow which has fallen on the stalks that remain in the garden -- adding variety to the landscape.

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble

Written by Jan @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/ Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

A 'Little Something' for December's Bloom-Day

My photo shoot in the garden today was met with a wind chill factor of bitterly cold proportions, but I managed to capture a few shots to share with you today. Although the blooms I'm featuring here are past their prime and are no longer 'alive', I have been learning to appreciate the beauty that the garden holds in every season.

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

A dried Coneflower (Echinacea) 'bloom'

Many people might have already cut back their gardens by now, especially the plants that die off and go dormant until the spring. But I've learned to allow them to remain in the garden throughout the winter. There are a couple of important reasons why I don't cut them down until much later.

Coneflower (Echinacea) seed heads

The seed heads of plants like Echinacea encourage birds to visit my garden, providing nutrition and sustenance for them. When hoarfrost covers these seed heads they will appear as if they are covered with sugar crystals, creating drama and elegance on these cold winter days.

Dried roses (Rosa 'flower carpet red')

Anytime that a plant wants to hold on to its color, I'm in no hurry to cut it back. The roses that remain on the bushes provide more eye-candy as I walk past them every day to get in and out of my car. After the petals drop off the flowers, rose hips will remain on the stems of the bushes. Rich with vitamin C, these will be coveted by the birds as they forage for food in the cold months ahead.

Color remains on the Chrysanthemums~

Chrysanthemums

and on the Asters (below). As I took these photos today I realized that the garden still holds an alluring charm~ it just takes looking more closely and purposefully to see it.

New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)

Dried Aster Seed Heads

As all of these plants continue to dry out, along with providing a food source for birds, they will also serve as 'structure' for the garden in winter. Every one of the dried stalks that remain standing will contribute to winter interest in the garden when the first snowfall arrives, allowing the eye to flow more freely in many directions rather than being drawn directly to the stark, flat ground.

Foxglove (Digitalis)

I'm fortunate to have a number of large Holly trees in the yard, which are covered in vivid red berries at this time of year. These are also rich in nutrients for the birds and resemble cheery holiday ornaments to be enjoyed and admired when I remember to take a minute to look closely.

Large Hollies (Ilex) in my yard

Every month on the 15th, garden bloggers from around the world write posts and show photos of what's blooming in our gardens. Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day has become a popular event and there are usually hundreds of participants sharing garden photos at May Dreams Gardens, hosted by Carol in Indiana. Readers are invited to visit Carol to see a sampling of December garden views around the world.

Today I am thankful for a furnace that provides heat for my family to be comfortable~something many of us take forgranted on a daily basis.

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble

Written by Jan @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/ Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.