A Winter's Garden

Another post from the “Jack of All Trades, Master of None” … gardener and photographer.

A longing always visits me this time every year. Vibrant colors and fluffy petals? An Iceland Poppy to photograph or a Peony to ooh & aah over? To place my nose in the middle of the honeysuckle on a hot summer day?

Hold on! Just a walk around the yard reminds me there is much more "happening" during the austere months of winter. Poke around decaying plants to discover the most interesting developments left behind from the summer. Remains of seedpods are just as fascinating as any blooming flower. I see repeating patterns, alien skeletons, fractals living in nature! It makes me want more.

My best winter find was the seed structure from Alyssum. I didn't even notice it until I was using my macro lens ... and there it was. So tiny and delicate that I was surprised they could even survive harsh winter conditions.

Stamen of an Azalea, swirling, floating out in to space from the dried seed-capsules … a whimsical work of art!

Fluffy, cotton-ball seed heads of the Japanese Anemone just waiting for a stiff wind to blow them away.

‘Autumn Joy’ Sedums sturdy seed heads stand tall in a lovely, dark crimson color. Look underneath you can experience fractals. Wolfram demonstrates Fractal Trees and Regular k-ary Tree.

The architecture of barren tree branches is well worth the leaf-less winter months.

See more Beautiful Afterlife photos of my garden on Flickr.

Then there is the "blooming" side of this season. My favorite winter-blooming shrub is the Sarcococca confusa. Honestly, I can't get enough and want one at every doorway so when I walk out into cold, winter air some wonderful scent wafts over to my nostril and I giggle out loud! Oh, yes, I say to myself (I forget this every January), it is time for the Sweetbox to bloom. The tiniest white blossom that can produce the loveliest fragrance! I find that astonishing. More about Sarcococca from Backyard Gardener - "The small, bushy, evergreen Christmas sweetbox (Sarcococca) has long, slender, dark green leaves, tiny honey-scented, white winter flowers and black berries in spring."

Primula 'Belarina Pink Ice' that pops up at just the right time. To add to the delight is that I forget about them until I see the spot of color hidden among fallen leaves. I treated myself to a Double Pink Primroses the other day with some unexpected extra cash. I also purchased one more Merlin Hellebores to go with the one I have … blooming right now.

Viburnum tinus compactum ‘Spring Bouquet’ is also a great early bloomer. Snowdrops and the promise of Daffodils and Hyacinth by way of green leaves shooting up from the dirt.

Already planning to expand my winter-blooming garden in the future, first on the list is Chinese Witch Hazel. Maybe Primrose Double 'Lipstick'?

Fun related links:

Definitions and Line Drawings of Botanical Terminology

Botanical terms and other technical things

A website devoted entirely to seeds!

Seed Evolution

Picturing Plants and Flowers - Images and information about older botanical art and the people who created it.