Vibrant Hues Framed by the Absence of Color

This year's Pantone "color of the year" has been on my mind lately. It's "Cloud Dancer," or ... white. As many folks have noted, white is actually the absence of color and it seems like a funny choice. With that said, white makes all colors near it "pop." Of course, that's obvious, and I've posted about it in the past. But it's been a couple of years since we've had a consistently "white" landscape here in winter.

Fresh snow makes every color around it appear more vibrant!

Japanese Yew (Taxus Cuspidata)

The greens and reds of conifers stand out in the winter landscape, although that happens even without snow and blue sky.

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

Red-Twig Dogwoods are much more dramatic after a fresh snow.

White Oak (Quercus alba)

But even the warm, rusty colors of Oak leaves are brighter and more eye-catching framed with white.

Spent Aster seedheads

Empty Aster seedheads sparkle like bright and cheerful stars.

Dried grasses

Dried grasses and sedges, barely noticeable without snow, are so colorful blanketed in white!

Mixed shrub stems

Even multihued shades of brown stems are much more warm and rich with color when surrounded by "Cloud Dancer."

Maybe this was a goal for this "color of the year" selection—to highlight all the true colors? Regardless, I appreciate the role of white in nature's palette!

With that, I wish you a very Happy New Year! Vist Garden Ruminations for more "Six on Saturday" entries.

(Most observations were recorded at local parks and natural areas.)

Winter Fruit in the Snow

A pastoral scene near one of our favorite dog parks, including an ice fisherman

in the distance on a frozen tributary to the Yahara River.

Suddenly...it's winter!

We've already broken two "winter" weather records near Madison, Wis. On November 29, we received nearly 12 inches of snow in 24 hours--the snowiest November day and the heaviest single November snowstorm on record!

And now it's very cold: On December 4, the high temperature was 16F/-9C and the low was around 0F/-18C. While these temperatures often occur in January or February here, they're far below normal for December.

Right after the big snow, I thought I'd go out and photograph some winter fruits--they're so interesting and colorful framed in white. But the bitter cold and heavy snow limited my choices in our garden. So I'm including a few fruits from plants in the sunroom, and another observed during a recent dog walk:



Frosted drupes on Cranberrybush Viburnum (V. trilobum);



A snowy cap for Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina);



Wind-scattered Crabapples (Malus spp.) for bird snacks;



Poisonous, drying Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) berries, ready to be clipped;



Ripening Fuchsia 'Marinka' berries, almost ready to harvest;



And bright, cheerful American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) along the trail.



I couldn't resist sharing this special message created by a fellow dog lover at the park. ❤️

I'm linking in with Jim's "Six on Saturday" meme over at Garden Ruminations.

Autumn to Winter, Overnight

Impatiens x hybrida 'Compact Purple Candy'

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.