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| January 2016 Garden |
Welcome to a brand new year and first Bloom Day of 2016 in my Long Island garden! There is always a beauty to the garden, and if you look even closer you can find it anytime of year, even in the midst of winter. Come along with me to take a look.
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| January Garden |
It's almost like on the first of January "Mother Nature" throws a switch to say winter is officially here. After an extremely mild November and December with record high temperatures, the thermometer has plummeted almost overnight to daytime highs struggling to get out of the 30's.
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| Hellebore 'Shooting Star' |
Many of the plants in the garden are confused. The Hellebores are blooming now instead of in late winter and yes...that is a hyacinth emerging from the soil in January!
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| Hyacinth Bulb in January of 2016 |
There has not been any snow to insulate the bulbs so hopefully the colder temperatures will allow the garden to go to rest without any harm. I had covered them a bit with a little mulch but they insisted on showing as if spring were here.
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| Blue Globe Spruce Foliage |
At this time of year the highlight of the gardens are the evergreens, as they are the backbone of the landscape.
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| Skylands Golden Oriental Spruce and Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar |
I especially appreciate the wispy needles of dwarf Eastern White Pine and golden hue of Skylands Oriental Spruce along with the weeping nature of Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar and Weeping Norway Spruce.
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| Weeping Norway Spruce and Dwarf White Pine |
There is also an inner beauty to the Weeping Japanese Maple as the leaves disappear and the structure of the tree can be noticed.
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| Weeping Japanese Maple |
The twisted trunks appear to me as if they are of a piece of artwork.
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| Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar with Variegated Liriope and Mugo Pine |
As the temperatures fall and there is less of a food source for birds they are enjoying the feeder I keep out for them. I also get great pleasure from watching them feast throughout the day, with especially high traffic in the morning hours.
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| Northern Cardinal |
I am so pleased that the Cardinals have been over-wintering here during the past number of years.
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| Hydrangea 'Nikko Blue' Dried Flower |
There are still a few gentle reminders of summer past as some of the dried flowers still remain, as the winds have not yet carried them away.
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| Garden Whimsy |
Now for a little whimsy...I purchased this amazing wind spiral in Vegas on a recent trip and am enjoying it as the fixed ball magically appears to move up and down the spiral in the wind and I can view it right from my window.
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| Garden Wind Spiral |
I also have this other copper spiral which I have enjoyed for a number of years and it has formed a natural patina which I think gives it a little more character.
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| Garden Statue |
As we complete the tour we pass by one of the pieces of garden statuary I have gotten much enjoyment from over the years. Much of last winter it was covered in snow so it is a pleasure to be able to view it still in January.
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| January 2016 Garden |
I hope you enjoyed your walk through my January garden. If you stop by leave me a note so I know you were here and I will be sure to visit you as well.
As Always...Happy Gardening!
Author: Lee@A Guide to Northeastern Gardening, © Copyright 2016. All rights reserved
