Colors in the winter garden

Last week the temperature soared into the fifties, and plans and visions of spring swirled through my head. Today winter returned with cold air and drizzle, and I am reminded it is still January. So this afternoon I decided to see what surprises the winter garden had for me, for there is always a surprise. Always.

Today it was color. 

First thing I saw was my Lady, of the Lady Garden. She is visiting the patio for the winter, for she is made of terra cotta and could crack during the hardest freezes. She is staying close to the house so I can bring her in easily when needed. She recently acquired a new hairdo of variegated ivy, because the charming woman was going bald as her hair of creeping fig went dormant. The Lady is a bright spot in the winter landscape.

Also on the patio is an old concrete planter that belonged to my parents. The side of it is covered with deep green moss. I like the pattern it makes.

The bluebird house near the Lady Garden stands out against the browns and grays of nearby trees and shrubs. I once read that bluebirds are attracted to the color blue. I guess it works, because each spring bluebirds nest in this house.

Another bird house sits in the herb bed. No bird has ever lived here, possibly because Lily, our dog, is in the fenced-in area just a few feet away. Or maybe birds don't like its artificial wood material. I do like the way it looks, although its pastel colors have faded. I will need to paint it soon.

The knockout rose bushes were frosted by our recent frigid temperatures, but amazingly, the shrubs still have leaves and vestiges of pink colored buds.

I did a double take when I saw the fresh colors of the false holly, osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'. Could that be new growth?

I didn't wear gloves on my garden stroll today, and by the time I got to the woodland garden, my hands were frozen. But it was worth it. The nandina are really standing out now.

 I love the way their red berries and bright foliage look against the dark trunks of nearby trees.

The autumn ferns also look lovely against a background of nandina.

Spreading juniper 'Saybrook Gold' has beautiful gold tipped foliage. The woodland garden is one of my favorite places. I do a lot of editing, but I let nature run its course for the most part. I like the colors and textures of mosses and lichens, rocks, and decaying wood.

There are many shades of green in my woodland garden, and I am reminded to appreciate the subtle beauty that winter offers on a cold January day. 

When I ended my garden stroll, I went back inside the house and placed my icy hands against my husband's face. He immediately got the message and built a fire in the fireplace. Soon spring will come, but for now I am content to dream about it while I watch the crackling flames.

Stay warm, everybody!  Deborah

You might also like "A perfect day in November" or "Fall colors in my garden".

How I spent my Christmas making mortar

Christmas at our house this year was a multiple day celebration, beginning with Christmas eve service at our church and ending the evening of the 26th. I felt a deep peace when family and friends came to our home to visit.

 A sunset on Christmas day offered a reflection on the special meaning of this season.

We spent Christmas day with our sons, and then my brother and assorted nephews and nieces and cousins and in-laws came the day after. I was in the kitchen early, peeling potatoes and chopping onions for potato salad. I also was preparing a cranberry salad, a great recipe I got from a fellow blogger, Villager. My family sends special thanks to him. Outside, frost covered the garden.

These knockout roses look like they are covered with a sugary glaze for Christmas.

The frost may kill these leaves, but oh, so sweet, the passing.

These nandina leaves will not be harmed by the frost.

The colors of the nandina are highlighted by an icy coating.

The variegated leaves and lily-of-the-valley flowers of Pieris japonica 'Cavatine' are lovely with winter frosting.

I watched as potato and onion skins piled up. When I was finished, I shoveled them into a stainless steel compost bucket under the kitchen sink. Soon orange, apple and banana peels were added. Then came used tea bags and coffee grounds.  As preparations for our big family meal were completed, I pushed to squash the contents of the compost pail so I could add new ingredients. The bucket was overflowing when I finally emptied it into the larger compost bin we keep behind the house near the vegetable garden. I was happy with the meal we had prepared, and I was happy with the good compost I had brewing behind my house. 

I have been re-reading an old David Bodanis book I own called The Secret Garden: Dawn to Dusk in the Astonishing Hidden World of the Garden. This book describes the incredible microscopic life that exists around us. I recently read a section that explains why compost is the best thing to enrich garden soil.

We hardly ever think about the billions of invisible creatures that live under our feet, but these microscopic critters promote good soil structure, enabling plant roots to grow and obtain nutrients. Basically, the soil dwellers live in underground cities made up of apartment buildings built of tiny clay bricks, and these subterranean dwellings give soil its texture. The bricks are held together by a gummy substance produced by decomposing dead bacteria. Without the mortar of dead bacteria, the apartment homes collapse and the soil becomes hard and compacted.

Compost is good for garden soil because its main ingredient is the gummy mortar used by earth dwellers to shore up the walls of their buildings and to prop open underground passageways. Uncomposted substances like fresh grass clippings are not so good, however, because they contain billions of living bacteria, which promptly go to war with the preexisting occupants of the soil. As the battle rages, nitrogen is burned up and heat radiates from the sweaty, hot warrior bacteria. Nearby plants may overheat and suffer from nitrogen deficiency. It's best to put those grass clippings in the compost pile, and let all the bacteria die off before putting them in the garden.

Ingredients in compost are termed "green" or "brown." Green substances are like those from my kitchen: fresh vegetable and fruit scraps, and also freshly pulled or cut plants from the garden. Brown substances are dried things, like aged grass clippings, shredded paper and dead leaves. The best combination is about four times as much brown as green. Do not put meat products in your compost, unless you want all sorts of critters rummaging through it.

Today I noticed that frost has finally killed the Boston fern in the lady garden. It is headed for the compost bin, where it will eventually turn into mortar to build underground cities.This photo was taken in November. The fern will be replaced next spring.

So, a gazillion bacteria are living and dying in my compost bin right now. Next time I open the bottom door and that rich black mortar mix pours out, I will think about them.

Happy New Year!