Hydrangea in Winter

One of my favorite things about hydrangea in winter:

Winter Texture and Growth

Here are some images I snapped on my way back inside today from running errands. First day in a long while I wanted to even look at my garden mess...

Lots of weeds are there - overwintering just fine...

(little do they know what is in their future - the compost pile!)

Iris remains like garden hair and Hellebore as always...

Daffodils peeking through with this mild winter...

New Iris growth peeking through...

Lenten Rose Hellebore. Will need dividing this spring.

Like a wave cascading down the slope...

Another stinking butterfly bush baby popping up - must pull them all this year!

New plant from last year. Will have to ID because it seems to like my garden & hope it stays...

Winter Garden...

This year my garden doesn't seem quite as spectacular as it did in the last couple of years...

I feel for the first time since I've lived here - disconnected from my garden.

That needs to be corrected. Something needs to be done.

A plan and action need to be put into place.

Designs need to be laid out so creativity & inspiration can find their way back.

So here are some garden images from last year - just about this same time of year...

American Robin Silhouettes in the trees were a pleasant site.

Cone Flowers in Decay.

Oh, how I miss having these to go look upon in the middle of winter...

I miss them as much now as I do in early spring when their pink and green new growth peeks out of the soil...

As much as their beautiful colors and cones through summer...

And their long lasting beauty through the fall...

Darn that Aster Yellows...

I hope to never see you again you plant destroyer!

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New York Ironweed is always a winter beauty...

Even these vines that get cut down are beautiful...

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Last winter I discovered these old metal gears in the back woods.

This summer we met our new neighbors behind us & discovered that in fact, our property goes to the edge of the woodbine (I thought it didn't go quite so far). Which means that there are tons of sticker bushes to be cleared from back there & it's up to us. Small bobcat rental anyone?

This old wooden structure from my grandmother's farm is one of my favorite items.

I would love to create other small areas where I can have nooks and crannies for discovering things like this...

I think all the snow last year also spoiled us in the way that the winter garden always looks best with a light coating of snow dusted over everything. We have yet to see any snow this winter...

I know that in March into April things will start to appear again.

Like the above Hellebore (Lenten Rose).

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And the Bloodroot will appear for a short amount of time (curious to see if the bloodroot I transplanted will make it - moved it from an area that might be cleared out to a safe garden area).

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And I think I'm going to be ordering some Witch Hazel for my garden.

This lovely specimen was photographed in Longwood Gardens in March of 2011.

I guess I need to start to figure out a budget & how I can come up with some cash flow for projects I want to work on this year & layout for years to come...

Should be interesting...