The Tree of Life for the Winter Garden!
Evergreens are a group of plants that naturally garner a gardener’s attention during these bleak days of winter. The green foliage provides those much-needed signs of life that are often missing throughout this season. There are many types of evergreens from which to choose, including those with painfully sharp needles to those with more user-friendly scale-like and soft foliage. Of course, the emphasis may not be totally on foliage, since some evergreens offer wonderful bark or perhaps an invigorating fragrance from the foliage. There are a number of evergreens that meet these criteria, but one genus that readily comes to mind is Thuja, commonly called Arborvitae!
Bruce Crawford
January always begins with the festivities surrounding the Holiday Season, but reality soon returns as gardeners face short and often cloudy days, cold temperatures and a sleeping garden. Looking on the positive side, we now have the leisure of working in the Garden when our time or the weather suits our schedule, since the garden is in a state of suspended animation so to speak. Continue making notes in your journal on the temperatures, snowfall or rain amounts along with the sightings of visiting birds, all while enjoying your favorite winter beverage by a warm glow of a lamp or fire.
An Evergreen for Winter Structure and Beauty
The hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season is finally upon us! The fall provided ample moisture, minimizing worries of watering newly installed plants this winter. Although there were frosts in the north, the temperatures remained reasonably warm, sparing many tender plants. The chilly temps and sunshine providing good conditions for great fall color too. This is the time to properly prepare the garden for winter as autumn truly bids us farewell and the sub-freezing temperatures of winter are just around the corner. As time permits between baking and ‘online’ shopping, continue your ledgers with notes on the weather and how plants are performing. Wishing everyone a very Happy and Merry Holiday Season!
A Holiday Plant for Many Seasons to Come
