Today is a two post day - be sure to scroll down to see the post about the December Surprise I found in the garden on Thursday.
I definately am not in my typical habitat today. Being a hot-house flower I usually live in warm climates. But now I'm in New England and today there is snow!
We got about 2.75 inches of snow overnight, the first plowable snow of the year. I'm sure it won't be the last but the first snow is always the prettiest. So turn up the heat, light a fire in the fireplace and enjoy. This is what my garden looks like today.
Poor Rosemary. I'll have to bring her into the garage this afternoon to try and get her to survive the winter. My smaller pot of Rosemary is inside on my desk.
Contorted Filbert. Looking very contorted.
Hmmm. I don't have as many good images as I thought. I'd better pull on the boots and go outside with the camera for another photo shoot.
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Well, I had to wait a while until some of the snow either melted or compacted so that I could see anything besides bumps where my perennials are hiding. This is my first major effort to photograph in snow so please be patient. I clearly could use more practice. I'm afraid I'll get plenty this winter.
Scabiosa Butterfly Blue (I know it looks pinkish in this photo). This is one long-blooming plant! If it doesn't get completely covered with snow by the 15th I should have at least one outdoor plant for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.
African Blue Basil. The only reason it's sticking up through the snow is because I haven't brought in all of my plant supports yet. I left these plants in place to hold the leaves in the bed as free mulch.
Gold Thread-leaf Cypress and unknown Azalea
Italian Parsley by the plowed driveway. I only put annuals near the driveway so that I don't have to worry about damage to plants during the plowing season.
Sedum 'Autumn Fire' Not so hot now, huh?
Miscanthus Zebra and Holly Blue Something. I didn't get the Miscanthus in the ground this year but since it's in a (cheap) plastic pot I left it over the winter. In the spring (if it survives) it will go in the ground basically where it's currently sitting. It provides a strong contrast to the dark green holly leaves.
Mexican Feather Grass. I'm really pushing this plant. It's planted right up by the house, between the driveway, the garage and the walk to the front door. I'm hoping the microclimate there will be warm enough for it to survive the winter. If not I'll buy more next year. I really like this little grass (and it's not invasive here).
As I've aged, snowtime isn't funtime anymore! We're right on the "North of I-80" (from Pittsburgh) snowbelt line and usually get more than our fair share of lake effect off of Erie. I'm already dreaming of spring!
ReplyDeleteWord of warning: Once established zebra grass is cemented in place, be sure you plant it where you'll not need to move it in the future. It might have a tendency to spread too. Ours is corralled in a tire planter.