Wordless Winter Growth

Before the Snow

Autumn and winter are playing tag in my part of the world lately. We've had cold days and snowy days, followed by rainy, sunny, and relatively mild days. This morning, Mother Nature blanketed the garden with a fresh coat of snow. It will probably melt on the weekend with milder temperatures, but it's pretty while it lasts.

Before the snow, I took a quick tour around the garden yesterday to note the highlights of the late autumn garden.



Most years, the Epimediums ('Rubrum' here) are chewed to the ground by the rabbits this time of year. Rabbit activity, for some reason, is lighter this autumn.



I like the stacking here of the Juniper shrub, Epimedium x warleyense, and the Ajuga groundcover.



Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is a favorite in the garden this time of year with its colorful seed heads.



Moss on rocks and other surfaces keeps the green character going throughout the winter.



The Hellebores retain their umbrella foliage until I trim them in the spring.



I'm trying to get some swaths of Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra) going, to spill over the rock wall. I've had limited success (rabbit damage, slow growth, etc.) But this one survives with a little help from caging at the base. I hope it will fill in more in the years to come.



I leave the garden seed heads, including Echinacea, up over the winter for bird food and for insects that might be overwintering in the stems. I think they also add character to the winter garden.



This combo of Coneflowers (E. purpurea) and Blue Mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) is fun.

The 'Ozawa' Allium (A. thunbergii) I profiled in my last post is still holding its color and form.

How is your garden faring as the seasons shift? Soon the days will be consistently cold and snowy, and winter will take hold here. Things are getting festive as we shift toward the holidays...

Wordless Wednesday: The Prairie Burned

April: prairie following a prescribed burn
[Click on images to enlarge for detail.]

March: prairie just before snowmelt

December: prairie before the snow

Wordless Wednesday: Prairie Comparisons

March: prairie just before snowmelt
[Click on images to enlarge for detail.]

December: prairie before the snow

Vignettes for Happy Holidays

It's winter, and currently, we're warm--warm for this part of the world in December, anyway. The snow is melting after two days with temperatures in the 40sF. But by the time you read this, things will be different: There won't be much snow left for Christmas, and our HIGH temps will plummet into the 10sF. It truly will be a good time to stay inside--warm and cozy.

Tuesday, I ventured out to the garden to take stock, and I found a few fun scenes.



In October, I'd plopped some ornamental kale into my front porch pots, and they're still alive. They really perk up on warm days. I didn't have the heart to clear them out for traditional December decor, so I simply stuck some gold filament curlicue stems in the pots with them.



The Hydrangeas have plump buds that, most likely, will perish in the deep freeze ahead. I guess I should wrap them in burlap, but I never do. Oh well; some years they flower, some years they don't.



This time of year, it's fun to investigate the various red berries in the garden. I saw very few remaining on the Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum). I don't know what that means?



The Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) always holds some berries into the spring, when the robins come back to nibble on them. 



The Yew berries (Taxus baccata) never fail to offer a cheery holiday vibe.

I need to find a safer spot for the wren house in the spring, but it's cute resting on the rock wall for now.

This new bird house fits well in the crook of the Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis).



One of my favorite vignettes this time of year: the yin and yang of warm green moss and cold, white crystalline snow.



These Juniper (Juniperus squamata) branches appear to be clawing their way out from under a snow blanket.



This English Ivy (Hedera helix) is still thriving and evergreen. Usually, I bring it inside for the winter, but I have other pots full of it, and this one is heavy and difficult to move. It's placed adjacent to a warm, heated pond. Will it survive our subzero days?



Finally, the Mums (Chrysanthemum spp.) illustrate the dramatic transition from autumn to winter so well.

To all my plant- and nature-loving friends, may your holidays be bright and your travels into the New Year safe and healthy!

~ ~ ~

Check out Anna's Wednesday Vignettes at Flutter & Hum.

Fresh Air for a Fresh Perspective

I took a hike along the Lower Yahara River Trail last week. We're having mild weather lately in much of the Midwest--mild for us, anyway. The day of my hike, the high was around 40F, and I actually felt warm, wearing my parka and winter boots.

I know some of these photos look cold, but it was very comfortable, after weeks of below-normal temperatures in October and November.



Part of the trail includes a long boardwalk bridge with excellent views of Lake Waubesa. It's now one of the favorite hiking/walking areas of many Madison and McFarland residents. I've posted about this trail before, showing what it looks like in autumn.



The view was rather misty, likely because of evaporation from the warmer air.



I was surprised to see these people setting up for ice fishing, as it was rather late in the day.



Waterfowl tend to congregate in the area where warm, moving water empties into the lake from the Yahara River.



Were these ducks finding fish, or other tasty morsels, just below the surface of the slushy ice?



The view to the southwest portended a pretty sunset, with light clouds on the horizon.



Higher in the sky, the moon stood watch over the beautiful day. It felt great to move comfortably outdoors, and to get some much-needed fresh air.

Nature's Color Palette

I've been thinking about color lately. Many of us talk about color being wiped from the landscape during the winter, and it can certainly seem that way on dark days in December, January, and early February.

But the colors are still there, aren't they? They aren't as obvious because the light is low, the colors aren't as intense, and the grays and browns dominate. On many winter days, we see a lot of this:

Or more accurately, this:

Even the snow incorporates shades of gray, metallics, and even browns and blues.

Because color pops against white, and when the sun is bright, berries and the stems of Red Osier Dogwoods add shades of dramatic burgundy and maroon and red to the landscape:

There's a certain blue-gray of a cloudy winter sky that seems to cry for brightness; while on other days, the sky sings in shades of crystal-clear, bright blues:

                 

Greens are everywhere: the dark, nearly black shades of the conifers, as well as the lighter, vibrant mossy greens:

                 

Of course, brown is always present, too, but oh so many shades of brown--from the dark browns of Oak leaves and soil, to the rusty, golden tones of moss sporophytes and the rainbows of browns on turkey tail fungi:

                 

When we pull together all the colors in our minds, a simple color mosaic begins to paint the picture, with snow as a central element ... when it's present:



But that's not enough: There are so many patterns and shadings in between. Evergreens are often blue-green, and that blue-gray sky is mixed with clouds:



It's insufficient and it's truly just the start of an endless panorama of color. But it helps to paint the picture of winter's colors. Winter, actually, is quite a colorful season if we care to look closely:

* * * * * * * * * *

Note: In every season, I've been noticing fun color combinations and inspiring shades of color that feed my creativity. I'm not a painter, but sometimes I think, "Gosh, that chartreuse would be lovely in a sweater over a moss green blouse," or, "I've never realized how many shades of cyan are found in nature."

I've added a sidebar widget to this blog so I can record current inspiring colors around me. Do you ever feel inspired by the colors of nature?